Democratic Republic of Congo - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses
DRC improves telecom network infrastructure
The DRC poses several difficulties for telcos and infrastructure providers. There are many areas of the country which remain lawless, and where the authority of the central government is nominal.
The telecom sector is largely based on mobile services, given that fixed-line networks are sparse.
Nevertheless, the country continues to attract investment from regional operators, as well as from the national telco SCPT, which in mid-2021 contracted LMS Holding to extend its terrestrial network with an additional 3,000km of fibre. In addition, LMS upgraded SCPT’s landing station at Muanda to 100Gb/s capacity, and built additional networks covering several cities.
Liquid Intelligence Technologies (formerly Liquid Telecom) has also invested in the country as it develops its international network. The DRC provides a digital corridor for the company, enabling it to connect to international submarine cables landing on Africa’s east and west coasts. In late 2021, LIT completed a 5,000km fibre cable which linked up several areas of the country, while it has also teamed up with Facebook to lay an additional 2,000km of fibre (including metro). LIT provides wholesale services to MNOs and ISPs on the network.
- 1 Key statistics
- 2 Regional Africa Market Comparison
- 2.1 Market characteristics
- 2.2 Market Leaders
- 2.3 Market Challengers
- 2.4 Market Emergents
- 2.5 TMI vs GDP
- 2.6 Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
- 2.7 Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration
- 3 Country overview
- 4 Telecommunications market
- 4.1 Historical overview
- 5 Regulatory environment
- 5.1 Historical overview
- 5.2 Regulatory authority
- 5.3 Fixed-line developments
- 5.4 Mobile network developments
- 6 Mobile market
- 6.1 Market analysis
- 6.2 Mobile statistics
- 6.3 Mobile data
- 6.4 Mobile broadband
- 6.5 Mobile infrastructure
- 6.6 Major mobile operators
- 6.7 Mobile content and applications
- 7 Fixed-line broadband market
- 7.1 Introduction and statistical overview
- 7.2 Broadband statistics
- 7.3 ISP market
- 7.4 Internet exchange points (IXP)
- 7.5 Satellite broadband
- 8 Fixed network operators
- 8.1 SCPT (formerly OCPT)
- 9 Telecommunications infrastructure
- 9.1 Overview of the national telecom network
- 9.2 National backbone
- 9.3 Tatem Telecom
- 9.4 Other operators
- 9.5 International infrastructure
- 10 Appendix Historic data
- 11 Glossary of abbreviations
- 12 Related reports
- Table 1 Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - DRC 2022 (e)
- Table 2 Development of telecom sector revenue (CDF billion) 2012 2019
- Table 3 Change in the number of prepaid and contract mobile subscribers (million) 2015 2021
- Table 4 Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate in the DRC 2012 2027
- Table 5 Increase in mobile market revenue 2012 2021
- Table 6 Change in the share of mobile market revenue share by service 2014 2021
- Table 7 Development of mobile ARPU 2014 2021
- Table 8 Development of mobile ARPU 2019 2021
- Table 9 Change in mobile market share of subscribers by operator 2014 2021
- Table 10 Change in the number of SMS sent 2012 2021
- Table 11 Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers 2012 2027
- Table 12 Growth in mobile data traffic 2016 2021
- Table 13 Growth in average mobile data traffic per subscriber 2017 2021
- Table 14 Change in the share of market data traffic by operator 2017 2021
- Table 15 Growth in the number of Vodacom Congo's mobile subscribers 2012 2022
- Table 16 Growth in the number of Vodacom Congo's active data subscribers 2013 2022
- Table 17 Change in Vodacom Congo's mobile ARPU ($) 2012 2022
- Table 18 Change in Vodacom Congo's mobile ARPU (ZAR) 2012 20222
- Table 19 Development of Vodacom Congo's mobile revenue 2016 2021
- Table 20 Change in the number of Airtel Congo's mobile subscribers 2014 2021
- Table 21 Growth in the number of Orange DRC's mobile subscribers 2012 2022
- Table 22 Increase in Orange DRC's revenue 2013 2022
- Table 23 Change in the number of Africell's mobile subscribers 2014 2021
- Table 24 Change in the number of Vodacom's M-Pesa subscribers 2017 2021
- Table 25 Change in the number of m-money subscribers and penetration 2015 2021
- Table 26 Growth in m-money revenue 2016 2021
- Table 27 Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers 2013 2027
- Table 28 International bandwidth 2012 2020
- Table 29 International bandwidth per user 2012 2019
- Table 30 Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate 1999 2011
- Table 31 Historic - Mobile market revenue 2003 2011
- Table 32 Historic - Vodacom Congo's subscribers 2002 2011
- Table 33 Historic - Vodacom Congo ARPU 2003 2011
- Table 34 Historic - Tigo subscribers 2010 2015
- Table 35 Historic - Internet users and penetration rate in the DRC 1999 2014
- Table 36 Historic - Fixed telephone lines and teledensity in the DRC 1999 2012
- Table 37 Historic - International bandwidth 2007 2011
- Table 38 Historic - International bandwidth per user 2007 2011
- Chart 1 Africa Telecoms Maturity Index Market Leaders
- Chart 2 Africa Market Leaders global ranking
- Chart 3 Africa Telecoms Maturity Index Market Challengers
- Chart 4 Africa Market Challengers global ranking
- Chart 5 Africa Telecoms Maturity Index Market Emergents
- Chart 6 Africa Market Emergents global ranking
- Chart 7 Africa Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
- Chart 8 Africa Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
- Chart 9 Africa Fixed and mobile broadband penetration
- Chart 10 Development of telecom sector revenue (CDF billion) 2012 2019
- Chart 11 Change in the number of prepaid and contract mobile subscribers 2015 2021
- Chart 12 Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate in the DRC 2012 2027
- Chart 13 Increase in mobile market revenue 2012 2021
- Chart 14 Change in the share of mobile market revenue share by service 2014 2021
- Chart 15 Change in mobile market share of subscribers by operator 2014 2021
- Chart 16 Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers 2012 2027
- Chart 17 Change in the share of mobile data traffic by operator 2017 2021
- Chart 18 Growth in the number of Vodacom Congo's mobile subscribers 2012 2022
- Chart 19 Growth in the number of Vodacom Congo's active data subscribers 2013 2022
- Chart 20 Development of Vodacom Congo's mobile revenue 2016 2021
- Chart 21 Change in the number of Airtel Congo's mobile subscribers 2014 2021
- Chart 22 Growth in the number of Orange DRC's mobile subscribers 2012 2022
- Chart 23 Increase in Orange DRC's revenue 2013 2022
- Chart 24 Change in the number of Africell's mobile subscribers 2014 2021
- Chart 25 Change in the number of m-money subscribers and penetration 2015 2021
- Exhibit 1 Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Africa
- Exhibit 2 Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
- Exhibit 3 Africa Market Leaders and market developments
- Exhibit 4 Africa Market Challengers and market developments
- Exhibit 5 Africa Market Emergents and market developments
- Exhibit 6 Major mobile operator launched dates in the DRC
- Exhibit 7 2Africa landing stations
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