Find Telecommunication expertise in Cameroon
- Operators
- Infrastructure and Usage
The telecommunications sector in Cameroon is still fairly underdeveloped by world standards. However, a big step for Cameroon’s mobile telecommunications sector was achieved in 2013, when the countries 3G mobile licence was approved. Vietnam’s mobile phone company Viettel is due to join Cameroon’s list of mobile phone providers, and will supply the country with its first ever 3G network. In 2006 the telecommunications sector in Cameroon contributed 3.14% to GDP (Econstats).
The main telecommunications service provider in Cameroon is the state owned CamTel, the countries only fixed line operator. CamTel provide fixed line telephony and internet services, as well as supplying prepaid phone cards, and business networks. In 2013 MTN and Orange Cameroon were the only mobile services providers; MTN is the larger company in terms of subscribers and offers mobile phone sales, mobile money services, and post-paid and prepaid mobile tariffs. Orange Cameroon provides mobile phone and internet services for private and business use.
The process of privatising CamTel began in 1998, however problems with the licensing of the company has meant that full privatisation has never to date been achieved (2013). With the majority of the company remaining under state control only the mobile arm, CamTel Mobile, has actually been privatised – when it was sold to MTN in 2000.
The Cameroon Telecommunication Regulatory Board (TRB) was formed in 1998 and is the main regulator of the telecommunications sector in Cameroon, responsible for managing all aspects of the telecommunications sector. The TRB is a public corporation with legal and financial autonomy; however it is under the supervision of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, which defines governmental telecommunications policy.
An example of the emerging presence of information and communication technology (ICT) within education and training in Cameroon is the newly formed ICT University (ICT-U) of Cameroon. The ICT-U attempts to move students away from being just consumers of ICTs, and towards becoming future producers of ICT products and services, as well as experts on ICT management and expertise. The ICT-U is an accredited University offering both undergraduate and graduate degree programs, with the curriculum internationally focused and locally relevant to developing economies.
Telecommunications infrastructure throughout Cameroon is of a fairly low standard compared to the rest of the world. The World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 2013-14 reported moderate numbers of mobile phone subscriptions in Cameroon: in 2014 there were 757 mobile telephone subscriptions for every 1,000 people in the country. By comparison the numbers of telephone landlines were far lower, with 46 fixed telephone lines per 1,000 people for the same year. Internet usage in the country is low with results for 2014 stating that there were 110 internet users per 1,000 people.
Broadband internet subscriptions in the country are negligible, with 0 fixed broadband internet subscriptions and 0 mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The international internet bandwidth speed in Cameroon is also very low by world standards. In 2013 the average internet speed was 0.3 kbps per internet user, giving the country a rating of 146 out of 148 countries included in the WEF Report (WEF, 2013).
Telecoms and Internet Service Providers organisations in Cameroon | |
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CAMTEL |
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Creolink Communications |
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MTN Cameroon |
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Orange Cameroon |
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