Mobile boom expected in Mozambique and Angola

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} The high demand for mobile telecommunications services in Mozambique and Angola is creating lucrative investment opportunities, according to research organisation Frost & Sullivan.   Revenues in the Angolan mobile communications market are set to triple by 2015, with growth in Mozambique only slightly lower.   "Mozambique and Angola are both emerging from long civil wars," notes Frost & Sullivan research analyst Silvia Hirano Venter. "Their governments have put together reconstruction plans to rebuild the basic infrastructure from roads and power supply to communications."   The mobile communications markets in both countries are young, with only two operators in each. A third operator was due to be licensed in Mozambique this year, but the award of the license has been delayed after complaints from the two existing mobile service providers, Mcel and Vodacom. Angola is expected to license a third operator in 2010.   Overseas companies have been attracted to Mozambique and Angola because of their available commodities and high GDP growth rates, creating a demand for a range of services among which communications is high on the list.   As they are not confining themselves to cities with established fixed-line infrastructure, there is a significant opportunity for mobile technologies.   "Foreign companies are importing staff from countries with developed technology, so they are likely to demand services like VoIP and value added services," Venter explains. "Operators are therefore investing in infrastructure development to support these services."   There is also growing demand for communications from the local populations, with particular interest in cheap voice and SMS services. Angola is also seeing demand for data services, especially mobile internet.   As electricity supply in these countries is neither widespread nor reliable, however, there is also a need to come up with alternative power supplies for mobile towers.   "Companies have to be aware that initial investment is going to be high here," Venter concluded. "However, those who are able to establish themselves in the market early can gain market share and experience. This will be invaluable in the long term."     *┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á *┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á *