Rwanda Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 20 Dec 2023 Update History

Report Status: Current

Report Pages: 168

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Rwanda’s regulator frees up LTE and 5G for MNOs’ own networks

Rwanda was slow to liberalise the mobile sector, allowing MTN Rwanda to hold a monopoly until 2006 when the fixed-line incumbent, Rwandatel (since acquired by Liquid Intelligence Technologies) became the second mobile operator. There was effective competition among three operators after Tigo launched services in 2009. However, the acquisition of Tigo by Airtel saw a significant consolidation in the market, and the cancellation of Rwandatel’s licence in 2011 resulted in the market becoming a duopoly between MTN and Airtel. MTN remains the dominant operator in the mobile sector, with a market share of subscribers of around 62%.

The fixed broadband sector has suffered from limited fixed-line infrastructure and high prices. Nevertheless, operators are rolling out national backbone networks which also allow them to connect to the international submarine cables on Africa’s east coast. These cables gave the entire region greater internet bandwidth and ended the dependency on satellites. LIT has continued to expand its FttP services across Kigali and a number of other towns, while the country also has a new cable link with Tanzania, and via Tanzania’s national broadband backbone it has gained connectivity to the networks of several other countries in the region.

The number of subscribers on LTE infrastructure has increased sharply, helped by national LTE coverage achieved in mid-2018. Mobile remains the dominant platform for voice and data services. The regulator in late 2022 changed its approach to LTE, removing the exclusivity held by KTRN as a provider of wholesale access to its network, and enabling MTN and Airtel to build their own networks. By the end of 2023 these operators had upgraded almost their entire mobile infrastructure to LTE.

Key developments:

MTN launches its own LTE network following the adoption of the National Broadband Policy and Strategy, which liberalised MNOs’ use of mobile technologies.
Starlink launches satellite broadband services, with the government aiming to connect most schools to the service by the end of 2024.
Regulator trials zero rated mobile interconnection for MTN and Airtel for one year.
Intelsat and Africa Mobile Networks agreed to deploy rural base stations providing mobile satellite connectivity in underserved areas of Rwanda.
Report update includes the regulator’s annual report for 2021-22, market data to November 2023, telcos’ operating data to Q3 2023, updated Telecom Maturity Index tables, charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Rwandatel (Terracom, LapGreen), MTN Rwanda (MTN Rwandacell), Liquid Telecom (LIT), Tigo Rwanda (Millicom), Bharti Airtel, Artel Rwanda, Electrogaz

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
Regulatory environment

Regulatory authority

Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA)
RITA and RICTA

Fixed-line developments

Licensing
Market liberalisation
Third operator licence
Fourth operator licence
Interconnection
Universal access

Mobile network developments

Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Tower infrastructure
Quality of Service (QoS)
Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs)
One Area Network
SIM card registration

Telecommunications market

Historic overview
Market analysis

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G
Mobile satellite
Mobile data
Mobile broadband

Major mobile operators

MTN Rwanda
Rwandatel (formerly Terracom Mobile)
Tigo Rwanda
Airtel Rwanda

Mobile handsets
Mobile content and applications

Money transfer, m-banking

Fixed-line broadband market

National Broadband Policy and Strategy - 2022
Broadband statistics
Rwanda Internet Exchange Point (RIXP)
Cybercafes and telecentres
One Laptop per Child (OLPC)
Other initiatives
Fixed-line broadband technologies

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
Other fixed broadband services

Digital Economy

E-government
E-health
E-learning
Cloud services

Fixed network operators

LIT (Liquid Telecom

Privatisation
Network infrastructure
Wireless local loop (WLL)

Artel Communications

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network

Liquid (Rwandatel/Terracom)
Electrogaz
MTN Rwanda

International infrastructure

VSAT
Smart Africa Alliance
The East Africa Backhaul System (EABS)
Submarine cables

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Rwanda – 2023 (e)
Table 2 – Development of the regulator’s revenue from the ICT sector (RWF per minute/SMS) – 2018 – 2022
Table 3 – Decline in termination rates by service (RWF per minute/SMS) – 2017 – 2019
Table 4 – Development of telecom sector investment – 2012 – 2022
Table 5 – Development of telecom sector revenue – 2012 – 2021
Table 6 – Change in the number of prepaid and contract mobile subscribers (thousand) – 2015 – 2023
Table 7 – Change in mobile call tariffs (RWF / minute) – 2012 – 2023
Table 8 – Development of mobile sector revenue – 2015 – 2021
Table 9 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 10 – Change in the number of mobile subscribers by operator (regulator data) (million) – 2012 – 2023
Table 11 – Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2023
Table 12 – Development of SMS on-net, off-net, and international traffic – 2020 – 2023
Table 13 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 14 – Change in the number of active mobile broadband connections by technology – 2017 – 2023
Table 15 – Change in the share of mobile internet subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2023
Table 16 – Growth in fixed and mobile broadband traffic (TB) – 2020 – 2022
Table 17 – Change in the number of mobile internet subscribers by operator (million) – 2012 – 2023
Table 18 – Change in the number of MTN Rwanda’s mobile sites by technology – 2016 – 2023
Table 19 – Development of MTN Rwanda’s mobile ARPU ($) – 2012 – 2023
Table 20 – Development of MTN Rwanda’s mobile ARPU (RWF) – 2015 – 2023
Table 21 – Development of MTN Rwanda’s financial data (ZAR million) – 2012 – 2023
Table 22 – Development of MTN Rwanda’s financial data (RWF million)– 2016 – 2023
Table 23 – Change in MTN Rwanda’s revenue by type (RWF million)– 2018 – 2020
Table 24 – Growth in the number of MTN Rwanda’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Table 25 – Change in the number of Airtel Rwanda’s subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Table 26 – Increase in the number of m-money transactions and value – 2016 – 2021
Table 27 – Increase in MTN Rwanda’s m-money revenue – 2018 – 2023
Table 28 – Increase in the number of MTN Rwanda’s m-money transactions – 2019 – 2023
Table 29 – Increase in the number of MTN Rwanda’s m-money subscribers – 2018 – 2023
Table 30 – Growth in the number of internet users and penetration – 2012 – 2023
Table 31 – Internet subscribers by platform – 2012 – 2023
Table 32 – Dial-up internet subscribers by operator – 2013 – 2023
Table 33 – Change in the number of fixed broadband (>256kb/s) subscribers by operator – 2013 – 2023
Table 34 – Change in the number of internet subscribers by major ISP – 2012 – 2023
Table 35 – Development of RIXP’s average internet traffic (Gb/s) – 2018 – 2022
Table 36 – Development of RIXP’s maximum internet traffic (Gb/s) – 2018 – 2022
Table 37 – Change in the number of internet subscribers by major ISP – 2012 – 2023
Table 38 – Change in the number of fixed lines by operator – 2012 – 2023
Table 39 – Change in the market share of fixed lines by operator – 2019 – 2023
.Table 40 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Table 41 – Increase in international bandwidth (Mb/s) – 2012 – 2023
Table 42 – Historic - Telecom sector investment – 2005 – 2011
Table 43 – Historic - Telecom sector revenue – 2002 – 2011
Table 44 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1999 – 2011
Table 45 – Historic - Internet subscribers and penetration rate – 1999 – 2011
Table 46 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1999 – 2011
Table 47 – Historic - MTN Rwanda ARPU – 2002 – 2011
Table 48 – Historic - Tigo Rwanda B2C subscribers – 2010 – 2017
Table 49 – Historic - Tigo Rwanda mobile subscribers – 2015 – 2018
Table 50 – Historic - International bandwidth – 2006 – 2011
Table 51 – Historic - Change in mobile call tariffs (RWF / minute) – 2009 – 2011
Table 52 – Historic - Mobile subscribers by operator (regulator data) (million) – 2009 – 2011
Table 53 – Historic - Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2010 – 2011
Table 54 – Historic - Change in the number of Airtel Rwanda’s subscribers – 2010 – 2011
Table 55 – Historic - Internet subscribers by platform (thousand) – 2009 – 2011
Table 56 – Historic - Change in the number of fixed lines by operator – 2010 – 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 sector investment – 2012 – 2021
Chart 11 – Development of telecom sector revenue – 2012 – 2021
Chart 12 – Change in the number of prepaid and contract mobile subscribers – 2015 – 2023
Chart 13 – Development of mobile sector revenue – 2015 – 2021
Chart 14 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 15 – Change in the number of mobile subscribers by operator (regulator data) – 2012 – 2023
Chart 16 – Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2023
Chart 17 – Development of SMS on-net, off-net, and international traffic – 2020 – 2023
Chart 18 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 19 – Change in the number of active mobile broadband connections by technology – 2017 – 2023
Chart 20 – Change in the share of mobile internet subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2023
Chart 21 – Growth in fixed and mobile broadband traffic – 2020 – 2022
Chart 22 – Change in the number of mobile internet subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2023
Chart 23 – Change in the number of MTN Rwanda’s mobile sites by technology – 2016 – 2023
Chart 24 – Development of MTN Rwanda’s mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2023
Chart 25 – Development of MTN Rwanda’s financial data (ZAR) – 2012 – 2023
Chart 26 – Development of MTN Rwanda’s financial data (RWF)– 2016 – 2023
Chart 27 – Growth in the number of MTN Rwanda’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Chart 28 – Change in the number of Airtel Rwanda’s subscribers – 2012 – 2023
Chart 29 – Increase in the number of m-money transactions and value – 2016 – 2021
Chart 30 – Growth in the number of internet users and penetration – 2012 – 2023
Chart 31 – Change in the number of fixed broadband (>256kb/s) subscribers by operator – 2013 – 2023
Chart 32 – Change in the number of internet subscribers by major ISP – 2012 – 2023
Chart 33 – Change in the number of fixed lines by operator – 2019 – 2023
Chart 34 – Change in the market share of fixed lines by operator – 2019 – 2023
Chart 35 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Chart 36 – Increase in international bandwidth (Gb/s) – 2012 – 2023

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

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Rwanda Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Rwanda’s regulator frees up LTE and 5G for MNOs’ own networks

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Africa Market Comparison

Country overview

Regulatory environment

Telecommunications market

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