Sudan Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Publication Date: April 2024

Report Pages: 112

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

WE-Africa-NA terrestrial fibre cable set to improve internet connectivity

Sudan emerged as a poorer country when South Sudan separated from it in 2011. Although Sudan has about four times the population of South Sudan, the latter benefits from its control of the majority of known oil reserves. The Sudanese economy has been affected by hyperinflation in recent years, partly the result of the loss of oil revenue but also due to domestic volatility and social unrest.

The country entered into a transitional administrative period in August 2019 following protests against authoritarian rule, which had included media and internet censorship. Hopes for a smooth political settlement were dashed in late 2021 when a military coup replaced the transitional government, and many political leaders were placed under house arrest. Elections have been announced for July 2023, though much political horse trading needs to be accomplished before such elections can be taken for granted.

The difficult economic conditions have meant that for several years telcos have reported revenue under hyperinflationary reporting standards. Pressure on revenue has made it difficult for operators to invest in infrastructure upgrades, and so provide improved services to customers. Despite this, the number of mobile subscribers increased 7.% in 20201, year-on-year. This level of growth is expected to have been maintained in 2022, though could slow from 2023 as the acute influences resulting the pandemic begin to wane.

The country’s poor fixed-line infrastructure has helped the development of mobile broadband services. Sudatel, Cameroon’s Camtel, and Chad-based SudaChad Telecom’s planned investment, the WE-Africa-NA terrestrial fibre link, will connect from Port-Sudan then on to Kribi in Cameroon, passing through Chad. The new build aims to respond to rising data demand in all three countries, particularly as usage has been accelerated since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic with digital and data services gaining traction.

Key developments:

Zain Group receives bid for its units Zain Sudan and Kuwait Sudanese Holdings for $1.3 billion;
Zain Sudan planning launch of Zain Passport m--banking app later in 2022;
MTN contracts Ericsson to use the latter’s mobile financial solutions and IT architecture;
Military coup triggers a month-long internet shutdown;
WE-Africa-NA terrestrial fibre cable set to connect Sudan, Cameroon, and Chad;
Government promotes transition from cash to digital payments;
Hyperinflation affecting telcos’ revenue reporting;
Sudatel continues with investment plan;
Report update includes operator data to Q1 2022, regulator’s market data to Q4 2020, updated Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Zain Sudan, MTN Sudan, Sudatel, Sudani, Canar Telecom (Canartel), SudaNet, ZinaNet, Thuraya

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
Telecommunications market

Market analysis

Regulatory environment

Historical overview
Regulatory authority
Fixed-line developments

Telecom sector liberalisation
Universal service fund (USF)

Mobile network developments

SIM card registration

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile data

SMS and MMS

Mobile broadband
Major mobile operators

Zain Sudan
MTN Sudan
Sudani (Sudatel)

Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G

Other infrastructure developments

Mobile satellite

Mobile content and applications

Mobile money

Fixed-line broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview
Sudan Internet Society (SiS)
Broadband statistics
Fixed-line broadband technologies

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks

Fixed wireless broadband services

EV-DO
WiMAX
Satellite broadband

Digital economy
Fixed network operators

Sudatel

Privatisation

Canartel (Canar Telecom)

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network

Wireless Local Loop (WLL)
Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT)
National fibre backbone

International infrastructure

Submarine fibre
Terrestrial fibre
The Central African Backbone (CAB)
Satellite

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Sudan – 2022 (e)
Table 2 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 3 – Change in the share of mobile subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2020
Table 4 – Growth in SMS traffic – 2012 – 2018
Table 5 – Change in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers by operator (million) – 2015 – 2020
Table 6 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 7 – Growth in the number of Zain Sudan’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 8 – Growth in Zain Sudan’s financial data ($ million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 9 – Development of Zain Sudan’s financial data (SDG million) – 2012 – 2020
Table 10 – Growth in the number of MTN Sudan’s subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 11 – Development of MTN Sudan’s financial data (ZAR million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 12 – Growth in the number of Sudani’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2020
Table 13 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 14 – DSL subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 15 – Development of Sudatel’s financial data ($ million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 16 – Growth in the number of fixed lines in service and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 17 – Development of international bandwidth – 2012 – 2017
Table 18 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1996 – 2011
Table 19 – Historic - Zain Sudan subscribers and ARPU – 2003 – 2011
Table 20 – Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers – 2004 – 2011
Table 21 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate – 1997 – 2015
Table 22 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and penetration – 1996 – 2011
Table 23 – Historic - MTN Sudan mobile subscribers – 2006 – 2011
Table 24 – Historic - Sudatel financial data ($ million) – 2008 – 2011
Table 25 – Historic - Increase in international internet bandwidth – 2004 – 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 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 11 – Change in the share of mobile subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2020
Chart 12 – Growth in SMS traffic – 2012 – 2018
Chart 13 – Change in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers by operator – 2015 – 2020
Chart 14 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 15 – Growth in the number of Zain Sudan’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Chart 16 – Growth in Zain Sudan’s financial data – 2012 – 2022
Chart 17 – Development of Zain Sudan’s financial data – 2012 – 2020
Chart 18 – Growth in the number of MTN Sudan’s subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Chart 19 – Development of MTN Sudan’s financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 20 – Growth in the number of Sudani’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2020
Chart 21 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 22 – Development of Sudatel’s financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 23 – Growth in the number of fixed lines in service and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 24 – Development of international bandwidth – 2012 – 2017

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 – 2Africa landing stations

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Sudan Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

WE-Africa-NA terrestrial fibre cable set to improve internet connectivity

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Africa Market Comparison

Country overview

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