Telecoms and IT
From The Report: Algeria 2014
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The telecoms market in Algeria has shown dynamic growth in recent years; as with many emerging markets, the mobile penetration rate has gone from zero to nearly 100% in less than 15 years and the market has demonstrated strong demand for new technologies. The long-awaited launch of 3G services in December 2013 has helped to develop new sources of growth in an increasingly saturated sector. The modernisation of sector regulation will be necessary in order to encourage further investment in this key market, which may provide the boost legislators need to restart work on the new ICT law.

The introduction of 3G mobile services in December 2013, followed in May 2014 by state-owned operator Algérie Telecom’s (AT) 4G fixed wireless data service, stand to significantly impact the IT sector in the near term, particularly in terms of consumption and demand. Private sector operators estimate that the IT sector contributes 1.3% of GDP, compared to 3.3% for the telecommunications sector. In the short term, AT will focus on deploying fibre-optic and wireless internet infrastructure, which will help to strengthen Algeria’s nascent digital economy.

This chapter contains an interview with Joseph Ged, CEO, Ooredoo; and a viewpoint from Mourad Nait, Country General Manager, Microsoft.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

The recent 3G launch will deepen the market for mobile services
OBG
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The telecoms market in Algeria has shown dynamic growth in recent years; as with many emerging markets, the mobile penetration rate has gone from zero to nearly 100% in less than 15 years and the market has demonstrated strong demand for new technologies. The public sector remains a key player via the state-owned operator Algérie Telecom (AT), but the sector has long attracted private investment, and with consumer spending increasing, competition is on the rise. The long-awaited launch of 3G service…

Analysis

Operators are working to expand their 3G networks
OBG
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The long-awaited 3G launch in December 2013 kicked off a period of rapid expansion in infrastructure and upgrades to service quality that have created new avenues for growth in the increasingly competitive mobile telecoms sector. The Algerian market has shown rapid take-up of new technology in the last decade, with the mobile penetration rate jumping from 1.43% in 2002 to over 100% in 2013 according to data from the Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications and Postal Service (Autorité de Régulation…

Interview

OBG talks to Joseph Ged, CEO, Ooredoo
OBG
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Interview: Joseph Ged How do you expect the mobile telecoms sector to develop over the next few years? JOSEPH GED: The mobile telecoms sector has posted solid growth in Algeria over the past few years: 8.65% in 2011, 5.37% in 2012 and 5.3% in 2013. This trend is reflected primarily in the rise of the penetration rate, which passed 100% in 2013 thanks to a proliferation of offers, solutions and services. In fact, this rate rose from 99.28% in 2012 to 102.11% in 2013. In total, the three operators…

Viewpoint

Mourad Naït-Abdesselam, Country General Manager, Microsoft, on fostering innovation and competitiveness with cloud technology
OBG
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In the World Economic Forum’s “2014 Global Competitiveness Report”, Algeria was still in a transitional phase between stage one, “factor driven”, and stage two, “efficiency driven”, while developed countries and some emerging countries such as the UAE and Qatar are already in stage three, “innovation driven”. Today cloud and mobile technology play a key role in helping people and organisations be more productive and more innovative, and improving the overall competitiveness of…

Overview

The launch of 3G and fixed 4G service is set to boost internet penetration in 2014
OBG
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The introduction of 3G mobile service in December 2013, followed in May 2014 by state-owned operator Algérie Telecom’s (AT) 4G fixed wireless data service, stand to significantly impact the IT sector in the nearterm, particularly in terms of consumption and demand. For years, Algeria lagged behind others in the region in terms of internet connection speeds, availability of mobile data service and IT penetration, due in no small part to the country’s slow-moving bureaucracy and AT’s monopoly…