Africa looks to CDMA

Africa's former telecom monopolies are banking on CDMA technology to spread connectivity to rural areas, reports InfoWorld.

The cost of setting up GSM (global system for mobile communications) services in rural areas with low spending power has made major mobile service providers shy away, however, leaving the market to the former monopolies.

James Munn, Qualcomm's vice-president of business development for sub-Saharan Africa, says: "Former government-owned telcos are usually faced with the impossible challenge of getting copper out to the masses as their mandate; this is a different primary objective than one finds with private mobile operators, which have a stronger focus on the health of their balance sheets.”

Burundi mobile operator Econet has rolled out a rechargeable solar handset it hopes will eventually boost subscriber numbers to 800 000, states Reuters.

The African nation of eight million people grew its subscriber base by 78% to 480 000 users in 2008. Its telecom regulator estimates customers could reach 700 000 by 2012.

Econet's general manager, Darlington Mandivenga, says the handset would prove invaluable for many users in a country that suffers from frequent power shortages.

The battle for dominance in the African mobile market has moved up a notch with the start of Millicom International Cellular, a multinational telecom company, in East Africa, says Computerworld.

Millicom, headquartered in Luxembourg, has already been operating in six African countries including Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritius and Senegal under the Tigo brand name.

The company unveiled its services in East Africa with the establishment of operations in Rwanda after paying $67 million to the Rwanda Utility Regulatory Agency to secure a licence as the country's third national operator.