Africa surpasses North America in terms of mobile subscribers; WCDMA rollouts well under way.
The number of mobile phone users in Africa exceeded 280 million in the first quarter of this year and will reach the 300 million mark next month, according to Wireless Intelligence. 

As a result, the continent has surpassed North America in terms of mobile subscriber numbers, with the U.S. and Canada together having 277 million users, the company said in a report published Thursday.

In the year to the end of March Africa counted 70 million new subscriber additions, up from 60 million the previous year, and cemented its status as the world’s fastest growing mobile market. It recorded 38% growth in 2007, putting it ahead of the Middle East with 33% and Asia Pacific with 29%.

All eyes will be on the rollout and take-up of high-speed mobile services this year.

Wireless Intelligence predicts that the adoption of services based on WCDMA will be slow, with network coverage and the price of handsets constituting the two biggest barriers to growth.

There are currently 19 WCDMA networks in service in Africa, with a further six planned, while operational HSPA networks number 14, with another five in deployment and three planned.

Wireless Intelligence estimates that subscribers to WCDMA and HSPA-based services passed the two million mark in early 2008, a number it says will double by the end of the year. In addition, it predicts HPSA customers alone will reach 1 million by the fourth quarter.

As the most advanced market in the region, it comes as no surprise that South Africa accounts for three of its WCDMA networks.

The country’s three operators, Vodacom, MTN and Cell C, have all launched WCDMA networks and connections are estimated to have reached 1.2 million by the end of 2007.

MTN has revealed data traffic in South Africa is “becoming significant”, the research firm said, and reported that non-SMS revenues represented 37% of its total data revenue in the fourth quarter of last year. Vodacom and MTN are expanding their WCDMA network coverage and introducing data bundles.

Vodacom leads the South African market with more than 24 million subscribers and a 57% market share. MTN has around 10 million fewer customers and claims 34% of the 44 million-strong market.

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