In November 2015, the government of Mozambique passed the first reading of a new bill to amend telecoms legislation to oblige operators to share their infrastructure. The bill is designed to promote convergence by using a single infrastructure to carry voice, data, images, radio and television.
Minister of Transport and Communications Carlos Mesquita stated “in order to improve the functioning of the telecommunications market and guarantee the basic rights of consumers”, it would now be obligatory for phone companies “to share the existing infrastructures”. The minister says the move should “contribute to an increase in coverage of rural areas, increase in the number of citizens served by high performance fibre-optic networks, and continual improvement in the average internet speed”.
The Republic of Mozambique has an estimated population of 28.4 million with a GDP of $15.9 billion* and GNI per capita of $600*. There are currently three operators in Mozambique with 17.4 million mobile connections and SIM penetration at 61% with Mobile Broadband being used by 30% of connections.
Mozambique is a country characterised by a weak fixed telecommunication network and a relatively strong mobile network. The mobile network has been growing since its deployment and accelerated considerably with the introduction of a second and a third mobile operator in the country. The percentage of individuals using internet is also amongst the lowest in the region. Mozambique is ranked 137 out of 148 countries, in the World Economic Forum’s Network Readiness Index (NRI).
The GSMA believe the new bill identifies the sector’s main challenges and is a step in the right direction. The proposed bill is looking to enhance competition, through unified licensing, to promote infrastructure sharing and promote quality of service for a broader section of society. The GSMA supports all positive legislation to ensure carriers commit to commercially sustainable investments in mobile networks outside of urban areas.
*The World Bank
This post was written by Jon Vesey, Market Engagement Manager, GSMA Mobile for Development.