Future networks and services in Sub-Saharan Africa

An assessment of the enabling environment for future networks and services in Sub-Saharan Africa. The development of GSM services was rapid, profitable but not uniform. 3G is beginning, but lacks a business model beyond simple Internet access. Fixed broadband has been slow, with a small base of fixed lines, supplemented by WiMAX experiments. Telecommunications regulation has often focused on interpretation of licence conditions, rather then opening markets. Clear regulation is a prerequisite for the development of content, but it has been too sensitive for governments to address directly. Significant policy changes are necessary to achieve the MDGs