Sudatel enters the Senegalese market

Sudatel beat out 11 other competitors, including the Kuwaiti-owned Zain and Bintel of Saudia Arabia, to be awarded the licence, said to be worth US$200 million.

Sudatel is set to become Senegal's third mobile operator, and is expected to compete with the two existing mobile service providers, Orange and Tigo.

The Sudanese company will also be allowed to provide fixed line and internet services head-to-head with France Telecom-backed monopoly Sonatel.

Senegal's telecoms regulator, Agence de Regulation des Telecoms et Postes, invited companies to bid for a third mobile operator; with deadline for offers being 31 August.

Over the years, Senegalese mobile market has recorded sharp increases in the number of subscribers taking up mobile contracts.

In March 2007, the number of mobile users in Senegal was estimated at 3.37 million, compared to 1.94 and 1.73 millions in 1996 and 1995, respectively.

By 30 June this year, Senegal's mobile subscribers had risen so much that the regulator industry analysts believe the subscriber base to have reached the 98% of all pre-paid subscribers.

In December 2006, the total number of residential and business premises receiving Sonatel services had reached 282,573 and that number is expected to grow as more mobile operators enter the Senegalese market.

Published courtesy of