Broadband and mobile data services and pricing trends. Gambia’s telecoms sector has four mobile networks with a fifth one (Globacom) preparing to launch. Mobile market penetration is well above the African average. The national telco, Gamtel competes in the mobile sector through its subsidiary Gamcel against Africell and Comium, both with Lebanese backing, and QCell which is affiliated with one of the country’s leading ISPs.

Gamtel is the sole fixed-line provider. Although the incumbent has a relatively well-developed national fibre backbone network, fixed-line penetration has remained low, which has also hindered internet usage.

The launch of a second 3G mobile broadband service in early 2012 has brought more competition to the internet sector where ADSL, WiMAX and EV-DO wireless broadband offerings are also available. The landing of the first international submarine fibre-optic cable in the country in 2011, to be followed by a second one in the near future, will dramatically lower the cost of international bandwidth.

QCell has confirmed that the company’s network now covers around 86% of the country, up from roughly 50% when it entered the market in late-2009. The QCell will achieve nationwide coverage in 2016, declaring: the objective that before the end of 2016, QCell will be available in every corner of the country. QCell is backed up by a mobile market audit from Gambian regulator PURA. According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, QCell holds second place in the Gambian mobile subscriber market with nearly 17% of users at end-2015, narrowly ahead of Comium, and behind Africell (with around 57% of users).

US-based software provider Alepo is providing an ‘all-in-one data monetisation platform’ for Africell’s 3G and planned LTE networks across Sierra Leone, Uganda, Gambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). A new multinational contract was signed with Africell for the deployment of Alepo’s convergent data charging and policy control solution as part of Africell’s planned LTE networks in the four African countries. Africell aims to leverage the platform to quickly bring to market new, competitive 3G and 4G data offers, including sponsored apps and content from OTT content providers, roaming data passes and more.

Gambia’s largely tourism-based economy went into recession in 2012, but GDP growth is expected to grow by almost 10% in 2014.

Estimated market penetration rates in Gambia’s telecoms sector – end-2014

Market	Penetration rate
Mobile	111%
Fixed	3.5%
Internet	19%

Key developments:
• Netpage launches’ Gambia’s first commercial LTE-based broadband service;
• I-Link prepares for LTE launch in the capital later in 2015;
• International Network Management Center (IINMC) opens, facilitating traffic on ACE cable;
• Gambian internet pricing gains from direct access to international fibre bandwidth;
• 3G mobile broadband significantly cheaper than other broadband services;
• Mobile penetration broaches 100%;
• Fifth mobile network preparing to launch;
• Gamtel contracts Huawei for fibre backbone project.