An unexpected growth
ICTs experienced their peak growth, following stagnation, in the 1990s second half due to more flexible regulation.

Mobile telephony develops with the successive emergence of various operators. The Internet market is also provided by about ten operators today. But the country did not manage to produce new services, which would have enabled it exporting and competing with neighbor countries such as Mauritius, South Africa, Kenya – a situation that would be remedied by the arrival of the backbone, such as all operators hope.

Telecommunications : an oligopoly status but sure technological advances

Madagascar is dominated by the presence of three large telephone operators: Telma, Orange, and Celtel. Telma had the monopoly of corded telephony network through 2001. Besides, it plans to multiply public telephone booths. It is also present in Internet development in the Big Island, with the installation of the backbone under its responsibility, which will be over end of 2007. Such backbone will link several countries such as South Africa and Sudan at both ends, but will service many countries, including Madagascar over about 10,000 Km. The financial package is estimated at about US$230 million and delay in works is due to slow payment by some countries.

Several technologies already used and the future optic fiber will service inaccessible areas. The government plans the connection of communes as a whole over time. TELMA will reaffirm its dominant position as soon as the backbone is rolled out. In another area, fixed telephony is also directly competing with mobile telephony. One third generation of telephony would provide shared standard norms to telecommunication operators and access suppliers.

Internet: limited transmission rate and overloaded pass band despite the presence of the most recent technologies

The main constraint proves to be pass ban, given that the connection with the international is made through VSAT satellite. In the area of Internet, the main suppliers account for about 10 to 15,000 subscribers.
Technological revolution enables envisaging radio technologies as an alternative to conventional corded network. At all events, survival and competitiveness in the country rests on the submarine cable planned to be operated in 2007.

[For further informations... ]