In the International Telecommunications Union`s (ITU) latest publication, African Telecommunication Indicators 2004, the ITU examines the reasons behind the continent`s rapid mobile sector expansion and explores the sector`s future avenues for growth.
According to the report, mobile subscriber numbers in Africa have increased by over 1 000% between 1998 and 2003, to stand at approximately 51.8 million at the end of 2003.
This is in stark contrast to the user numbers for fixed-line communications, which stood at 25.1 million at the end of 2003.
Overall mobile penetration on the continent stood at 6.2%, compared to 3% for fixed-lines, although the ITU states that the rise of mobile usage has been driven by factors such as demand, sector reform, licensing of new competition and the emergence of major strategic investors, like Vodacom, MTN, Orascom and Celtel.
The report points to mobile technology as having the power to drive the uptake of Internet, particularly as the so-called second generation services such as WAP and SMS are gaining ground.
Innovative regional-specific applications have also helped drive SMS and WAP usage - mobile banking in Nigeria for example, or providing election results in Kenya. Interest in these applications indicates a broader level of demand for data services.
General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) - viewed a 2.5 generation - has been launched in three of the region`s markets and with its capacity to provide higher speed Internet access, GPRS could provide a solution to the problem of a lack of Internet access.
Meanwhile, fixed wireless networks are being harnessed to provide 3G services in a number of countries, and a mobile 3G network appears set to be launched in Angola.
Given the demand for Internet access, these wireless technologies could provide the solution to Africa`s Internet future.
The report also points out how the region`s mobile markets reveal the benefits of competition. Those with competition have significantly higher rates of mobile penetration than monopoly markets, even where per-capita incomes are the same.
It highlights that all parties with a stake in Africa`s mobile future have a role to play, from manufacturers, who need to devise solutions appropriate to lower income regions, to operators that must strive to find innovative solutions to keep end-user costs down.
Donors also have a key role to play, by providing the resources for capacity building, or implementing programmes such as recycling used mobile handsets from developed nations to Africa.
Although mobile has already gone a long way in boosting access to telecommunications, mobile operators can further extend their services into universal access markets, such as through the installation of community payphones, or subsidising low income services.
The report concludes that - based on different growth scenarios for the mobile market in 2010 - African mobile penetration is expected to reach between 10% and 20%, up from 6% in 2003.
The ITU will hold its Telecom Africa 2004 conference in Cairo, Egypt from 4 to 8 May.
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