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Information, Communication, Technology and Media
MOBILE OPERATORS
INTERNET
Mercury Telecommunications Services, now
MSTelecom, affiliated with Sonangol
Startel, which launched fixed-wireless operations
in 2009
Nexus, currently integrated to MSTelecom
According to INACOM, there were 303,000 fixed
line telephone connections at the end of 2009 vs.
218,000 at end-2008.
The mobile market in the country continues to grow
steadily, with 8,7 million subscriptions at the end
2009 vs. 6,8 million in 2008.
Movicel and Unitel are currently sharing the market,
both are growing and even expanding international-
ly. Rumors say a third mobile operator license might
be granted.
Roaming service of Unitel is available in 148 coun-
tries as the company has agreements with over 300
international operators, providing clients the possi-
bility to use email, applications and internet abroad.
This service is now available in countries as Portu-
gal, South Africa, Belgium, Holland, Mozambique,
United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Brazil, USA, Swit-
zerland, DR Congo, France and Egypt by agree-
ments with 26 foreign operators.
With a presence in 160 municipalities all over the
country, Unitel has largely expand its coverage
network over the last years. Further extensions are
still under process. As Unitel is celebrating its 10th
anniversary, the company prides for the 75 centers
distributed all around the country, 47 of them for cli-
ents, 27 for agents and one for companies based
in Luanda.
Movicel was the first operator to launch a mobile
network in the country. Recently, the company has
invested US$ 100 M to switch to the GSM (Global
System Mobile) network. The roaming service of
Movicel is available in nearly 190 countries. In the
next 5 years, Movicel is planning to invest conse-
quent amounts of money to pursue improvements.
Internet is available among a number of operators
through mobile 3G, CDMA and WiMAX-based net-
works, fixed-wireless systems, ADSL and cable
modem services. The high price of international
bandwidth due to Angola Telecom’ monopole on the
SAT-3/WASC international fiber optic submarine ca-
ble is still a major restraint to give most Angolans
access to Internet., as only 4% of the population has
currently access to it.
A second submarine cable valued US$ 92 M has
been implemented in 2011 in Sangano, province of
Bengo, enabling to providebetter quality telecom-
munications by increasing the transmission capacity.
The West Africa Cable Submarine (WACS) project in
wireless technology and fourth generation network
for Angola’s operators is led by Chinese firm Hua-
wei Technologies. With funding from China’s EXIM
Bank, the firm has already installed optical fiber
cables in Luanda and is currently extending to the
provinces. Furthermore, Huawei has invested US$
7 million to transform the former Instituto Nacional
das Telecomunicaçoês (ITEL) into Universidade de
Telecomunicações, and build a new Telecom Techni-
cal Training Centre.
Greater liberalization of the telecom market can be
illustrated by the creation of INFRASAT, the Angolan
satellite telecommunication company and the Angola
Cable consortium for international fiber connections.
The consortium is composed of Angola Telecom with
51% of the capital, and private companies Mundo
Startel, Unitel, Mercury and Movicel, sharing the re-
maining 49%.
Recently, the Angolan authorities signed an agree-
ment with Russian banks to finance the future
launching of a satellite. The project is valued at US$
295 million.
POSTAL SERVICES
Correios de Angola is still recovering from the dam-
ages of civil war: from 350 centers before 1975, only
56 remain currently active, 12 of them being in Luan-
da. The rehabilitation and reopening project of 160
stations by 2012 has been delayed and postponed
due to the crisis in 2009.
Therefore, the Ministry of Telecommunications has
implemented a new strategy to make CA a profitable
institution and explore all its potential. Key actions
include the coverage extension and distribution im-
provement within the national territory to get closer
to the population of remote provinces.
To accompany its organic growth, the recruitment of
young Angolan graduates is seen as a key measure
to dynamise the company.