Mali Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Publication Date: September 2024

Report Pages: 128

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Mali’s dominant mobile network operators trial 5G

Mali’s topography includes large tracks of sparsely populated desert, with many settlements being hard to reach and thus rendering it difficult and expensive to provide effective fixed or mobile networks. Security issues have also been a concern, leading to delays in building the national backbone network. Following a coup in 2012 large areas in the north of the country were taken over by Islamic militants. The coup of September 2020 unsettled politics, and was soon followed by a second coup. The coup leaders put off holding the promised elections, and this in turn contributed to the February 2022 decision by France and other European governments to end their military support against the militants. Many areas of the country have remained generally ungovernable.

Compounding these difficulties is the fact that underinvestment in fixed-line networks has meant that telecom infrastructure is barely adequate to serve consumer needs in most towns and is largely absent in most areas of the country. In addition, a combination of poverty, high illiteracy, and low PC use has led to a very low take-up of fixed-line internet services. In common with many other countries in the region, Mali has taken to mobile networks for voice and data services. Mobile networks account for about 98% of all telecom connections. Despite these challenges, there has been progress in fixed-line connectivity, particularly during 2020 and 2021.

Orange Mali entered the market as the second mobile and fixed-line operator in 2003, and soon became the dominant provider. The duopoly with the national telco, Sotelma, continued until late 2017 when Alpha Telecom (after much delay) launched mobile services. A fourth mobile licence was secured by Mobilis, owned by Algérie Télécom, at the end of 2019.

Mali’s landlocked location makes it dependent on neighbouring countries for international bandwidth, which has kept internet prices high. Improvements in this sector can be expected from the recent arrival of several new international submarine cables in the region, while Orange Group has also been engaged in building a terrestrial network linking the capital cities of eight countries in the region, including Bamako.

Key developments:

Orange Mali completes 5G trials;
Sonatel contracts to manage Sogem’s fibre network across Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal;
Government progresses with the ‘Mali Numérique’ fibre network project;
G5 Sahel countries adopt free mobile roaming measures;
Sotelma begins project to upgrade its network infrastructure;
Report update includes the regulator’s market data for 2020, ITU data updates, telcos’ operating data to Q4 2021, updated Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of the pandemic on the telecoms sector, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Société des Télécommunications du Mali (Sotelma, Maroc Telecom, Vivendi), Orange Mali (Ikatel, Orange Group), Monaco Telecom, Planor Afrique, Afribone, CEFIB, Datatech

Key statistics
Regional Africa Market Comparison

Market characteristics
Market Leaders
Market Challengers
Market Emergents
TMI vs GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

Country overview
Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Economic considerations and responses
Subscribers
Infrastructure

Telecommunications market

Historical overview

Regulatory environment

Regulatory authority
Fixed network developments

Telecom sector liberalisation
Privatisation
Universal Access Fund

Mobile network developments

Third mobile licence
Fourth mobile licence
Roaming
Interconnection

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)

Mobile data

Mobile broadband
Major mobile operators

Malitel
Orange Mali
Alpha Telecom Mali
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)

Mobile content and applications

m-payments and m-banking

Fixed-line broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview
Broadband statistics
Fixed-line broadband technologies

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks

Digital economy

e-health

Fixed network operators

Sotelma
Orange Mali

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
International infrastructure

Terrestrial/submarine fibre
Satellite

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Mali – 2021 (e)
Table 2 – Development of telecom market investment – 2012 – 2020
Table 3 – Telcom market investments by operator (CFA billion) – 2012 – 2020
Table 4 – Development of telecom market revenue by sector (CFA billion) – 2012 – 2020
Table 5 – Development of telecom market revenue by operator (CFA billion) – 2012 – 2020
Table 6 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 7 – Change in the number of mobile subscribers by operator (million) – 2012 – 2020
Table 8 – Change in the number of prepaid and contract mobile subscribers (thousand) – 2012 – 2020
Table 9 – SMS traffic – 2012 – 2020
Table 10 – Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 11 – Change in the number of fixed and mobile broadband subscribers by operator – 2015 – 2020
Table 12 – Change in the number of Malitel’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 13 – Change in the number of Orange Mali’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 14 – Development of Orange Mali’s revenue (€ million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 15 – Development of Orange Mali’s revenue (CFA) – 2012 – 2020
Table 16 – Development of Atel’s mobile subscribers – 2018 – 2020
Table 17 – Growth in the number of mobile money subscribers (million) – 2015 – 2020
Table 18 – Growth in the number of Sotelma’s internet subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 19 – Change in the number of fixed-line internet and broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 20 – Change in the number of DSL subscribers – 2012 – 2020
Table 21 – Change in the number of WiMAX subscribers – 2012 – 2020
Table 22 – Fixed broadband fibre and other subscribers – 2018 – 2020
Table 23 – Development of Sotelma’s revenue – 2012 – 2020
Table 24 – Growth in the number of Sotelma’s fixed lines – 2012 – 2021
Table 25 – Change in the number of Orange Mali’s fixed lines – 2012 – 2020
Table 26 – Change in the number of fixed-lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Table 27 – Fixed-lines wired and wireless subscribers – 2012 – 2020
Table 28 – Increase in international bandwidth – 2012 – 2019
Table 29 – Historic - Fixed-lines in service and teledensity in Mali – 1999 – 2011
Table 30 – Historic - Internet bandwidth by operator (Mb/s) – 2009 – 2017
Table 31 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate in Mali – 2000 – 2015
Table 32 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate in Mali – 2000 – 2011
Table 33 – Historic - Telcom market investments – 2005 – 2011
Table 34 – Historic - Orange Mali mobile subscribers – 2005 – 2011
Table 35 – Historic - Orange Mali revenue – 2007 – 2011
Table 36 – Historic - Orange Mali ARPU – 2014 – 2016
Table 37 – Historic - Orange Mali broadband fixed-internet subscribers – 2008 – 2016
Table 38 – Historic - Malitel mobile subscribers – 2005 – 2011
Table 39 – Historic - Malitel mobile revenue – 2011 – 2014
Table 40 – Historic - Prepaid and contract mobile subscribers (thousand) – 2005 – 2011
Table 41 – Historic - Fixed-line internet and broadband subscribers – 2006 – 2011
Table 42 – Historic - Sotelma internet subscribers – 2008 – 2011
Table 43 – Historic - DSL subscribers – 2006 – 2011
Table 44 – Historic - International bandwidth – 2001 – 2011
Table 45 – Historic - Telcom market revenue by sector (CFA billion) – 2001 – 2011
Table 46 – Historic - Sotelma revenue – 2005 – 2011
Table 47 – Historic - Sotelma fixed-line statistics – 2005 – 2011
Table 48 – Historic - Orange Mali fixed-line statistics – 2005 – 2011
Table 49 – Historic - Telcom market investments by operator (CFA billion) – 2006 – 2011
Table 50 – Historic - Orange Mali revenue – 2005 – 2011
Table 51 – Historic - SMS traffic – 2006 – 2011

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Africa Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders
Chart 2 – Africa – Market Leaders global ranking
Chart 3 – Africa Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers
Chart 4 – Africa – Market Challengers global ranking
Chart 5 – Africa Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents
Chart 6 – Africa – Market Emergents global ranking
Chart 7 – Africa – Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 8 – Africa – Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 – Africa – Fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 10 – Development of telecom market investment – 2012 – 2020
Chart 11 – Telcom market investments by operator – 2012 – 2020
Chart 12 – Development of telecom market revenue by sector – 2012 – 2020
Chart 13 – Development of telecom market revenue by operator – 2012 – 2020
Chart 14 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 15 – Change in the number of mobile subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2020
Chart 16 – Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 17 – Change in the number of fixed and mobile broadband subscribers by operator (million) – 2015 – 2020
Chart 18 – Change in the number of Malitel’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 19 – Change in the number of Orange Mali’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 20 – Development of Orange Mali’s revenue (€) – 2012 – 2021
Chart 21 – Development of Orange Mali’s revenue (CFA) – 2012 – 2020
Chart 22 – Growth in the number of Sotelma’s internet subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 23 – Change in the number of DSL subscribers – 2012 – 2020
Chart 24 – Change in the number of WiMAX subscribers – 2012 – 2020
Chart 25 – Development of Sotelma’s revenue – 2012 – 2020
Chart 26 – Growth in the number of Sotelma’s fixed lines – 2012 – 2021
Chart 27 – Change in the number of Orange Mali’s fixed lines – 2012 – 2020
Chart 28 – Change in the number of fixed-lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Chart 29 – Fixed-lines wired and wireless subscribers – 2012 – 2020

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Africa
Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 – Africa – Market Leaders and market developments
Exhibit 4 – Africa – Market Challengers and market developments
Exhibit 5 – Africa – Market Emergents and market developments
Exhibit 6 – Map of Mali

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Mali Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Mali’s dominant mobile network operators trial 5G

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Africa Market Comparison

Country overview

Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Digital economy

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views