TUNISIA. Tunisia's telecom market will be one of the fastest-growing markets in the Middle East & Africa region with total telecom revenue estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.4% over the next five years, reaching US$2.2 billion in 2014, according to the latest report from Pyramid Research, the telecom research arm of the Light Reading Communications Network.

Communications markets in Tunisia offers a precise profile of the country's converged telecommunications, media, and technology sectors based on proprietary data from our research in the market. The 24-page report provides detailed competitive analysis of both the fixed and mobile sectors, tracks the market shares of technologies and services, and monitors technologies such as WiMax, IPTV, and VoIP. It provides a comprehensive view of the communications market by analysing key trends, evaluating near-term opportunities and assessing upcoming risks factors.

Even though Tunisia's mobile and fixed penetration were among the highest in the region in 2008 (82.1% and 11.5%, respectively), the low broadband penetration rate of 2.2% indicates there is still room for growth, observes Sylwia Boguszewska, analyst at Pyramid Research and author of the report.

"To stimulate competition, the government launched a tender for a fixed-line services license so as to promote broadband Internet access and prop up mobile telephony services," says Boguszewska. "The process of a tender for a technology-neutral license for a mobile and fixed operator was started in May 2009, and a new player is expected to enter the market in 2010," she adds.

This, plus the sale of another stake in Tunisie Telecom, will have a positive effect on market competiveness and liberalization."

"Although the market will contract in 2009, it will bounce back with broadband being the fastest growing among other significant market segments," explains Boguszewska. Broadband services will be a considerable source of growth over the next five years, with a CAGR of 15.1% between 2009 and 2014, producing estimated revenue of US$174 million in 2014, up from US$81 million in 2008.

"This growth will over compensate for the decline in narrowband Internet services, which will only generate revenue of US$4 million in 2014," concludes Boguszewska.

Communications Markets in Tunisia is part of Pyramid Research's Europe Country Intelligence Report Series.

Learn more about the findings in this report in Pyramid's Mobile Demand, Mobile Data and Mobile Operator KPI Forecasts. Published quarterly, provide the most comprehensive demand, growth and market share tracking available in the industry today, offering five years of historical data and five years of market projections for the principal drivers in 92 markets, including Tunisia.


Source [Business Intelligence Middle East]