Angola
Internet and Telecommunications
8th October 2006
The civil war in mineral-rich Angola over the last two decades
has greatly impacted general infrastructure development including
telecommunications. Considerable telecoms plant has been
destroyed by the war and the absence of peace has hampered
efforts to rebuild and expand existing infrastructure. With peace
restored in early 2002, the outlook is promising, and foreign
investment in Angola has more than tripled during 2003. However,
Angola Telecom’s fixed-line network still served only
little more than 0.7% of the population in early-2004, and there
are very few serviceable links outside of the capital city. The
licensing of four new fixed-network operators at the end of 2002
has introduced competition to this sector, but significant
effects on the market have yet to be achieved. The mobile sector
has been competitive since April 2001, but market penetration is
still one of the lowest in the world.
Angola
Telecommunications Report
Angola is the second-largest producer of oil in sub-Saharan Africa, and the recent rise
of oil prices may push GDP growth as high as 26% in 2006. With peace restored in 2002
after decades of civil war, foreign investment has multiplied. However, Angola Telecom’s
fixed-line network still serves less than 1% of the population. The licensing of four new
fixed-wireless operators in 2002 has introduced competition to this sector, using Third
Generation (3G) wireless technologies and WiMAX to provide advanced services. Mobile market
penetration is also still relatively low at around 14%, despite rapid growth since the
introduction of competition in 2001. A third mobile licence is expected in 2006.
Africa Market
and Telecommunications Reports
Get the latest information about Africa from the largest
global telecommunications research site on the Web.
Angola Political Background
Having gained their country’s independence from Portugal in
1975, Angola's guerrilla groups vied for its control. The
Communist-backed MPLA won the upper hand and in 1979 José
Eduardo dos Santos, its leader, became Angola’s president.
This led America and South Africa to back and arm UNITA, a rival
guerrilla group led by Jonas Savimbi, in a destructive civil war.
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 saw the MPLA drop
Marxism in favour of social democracy and gain American support.
A peace deal with UNITA and free elections followed, but Mr
Savimbi rejected the results and resumed his guerrilla war in
1992. In 1996 a power-sharing deal monitored by UN peacekeepers
collapsed and full-scale fighting resumed in 1998.
In February 2002 government troops killed Mr Savimbi,
precipitating the end to a war which has ruined Angola and
starved its people. With UN help, UNITA soldiers are
re-integrating into society. Foreign investment is meanwhile
aiding reconstruction. But Angola's bountiful oil fields and
diamond mines provide powerful motives for restarting the
conflict. The country's unpopular government is also
breathtakingly corrupt. Elections scheduled for September 2006
will hopefully give Angolans a chance to improve their
situation.
Further reading on Angola and Africa Telecommunications:
Africa Market
and Telecommunications Reports
Get the latest information about Africa from the largest
global telecommunications research site on the Web.
Angola Official
Website
News and links for Angola.
Angola Country
Analysis Brief
Angola Energy resources review.
