Eswatini's mobile sector shows continuing growth
The penetration rate in Eswatini's mobile market has been buttressed by the common practice of subscibers to have SIM cards from MTN Eswatini and its two smaller competitors, so enabling them to make cheaper on-net calls. The vast majority of mobile calls made are on-net, which encourages MNOs to offer competitive pricing and discounts on their own networks. With off-net calls, costs are partly determined by the MTR, and so calls are more expensive. On-net promotions are the main driver for multiple SIM card use. Handsets sold in the country commonly allow for dual SIM cards, making its easier for subscribers to switch between networks for each call when required.
Recognising that there was no effective competition in the voice call termination market, the regulator determined that the three operators had to adopt various obligations of the 2013 Electronic Communications Act and the 2016 Electronic Communications (Interconnection) Regulations. These collectively will see a reduction in termination rates in stages through to March 2023.
In common with most markets globally, subscribers in Eswatini have responded to the particular circumstances of the pandemic by making greater use of mobile voice and data services. The volume of domestic voice calls increased 26% in the year to March 2021, reaching 3.4 billion minutes, and a similar increase is expected to have been maintained for the rest of the year.
The country has long had some of the highest charges for mobile data services in Africa, and the lack of affordability held back consumer take-up of services. To help address this, MTN Eswatini in late 2020 reduced the cost of postpaid monthly data bundles by 70% and of prepaid packages by 32%. This greatly supported the development of the sector to coincide with a pandemic-related increase in traffic.
Table of Contents
Key statistics- Regional Africa Market Comparison
- Market characteristics
- Market Leaders
- Market Challengers
- Market Emergents
- TMI vs GDP
- Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
- Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration
Country overview
- Telecommunications market
- Market analysis
Regulatory environment
- Regulatory authority
- Fixed line developments
- Mobile network developments
Mobile market
- Market analysis
- Mobile statistics
- Mobile infrastructure
- Mobile network operators
- Mobile content and applications
Fixed-line broadband market
- Introduction and statistical overview
- Fixed-line broadband technologies
Digital Economy
- E-banking
- E-health
- CYBERSECURITY
Fixed network operator
- Telecommunications infrastructure
- Overview of the national telecom network
- International infrastructure
Appendix Historic data
- Glossary of abbreviations
- Related reports
List of Tables
- Table 1 Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Eswatini 2022 (e)
- Table 2 Change in telecom revenue by type (SZL million) 2018 2021
- Table 3 Change in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Table 4 Change in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Table 5 Change in the number of MTN Eswatini's subscribers 2012 2022
- Table 6 Development of MTN Eswatini's financial data (ZAR million) 2015 2021
- Table 7 Fall in MTN Eswatini's mobile ARPU 2012 2022
- Table 8 Eswatini Mobile subscribers 2017 2019
- Table 9 Change in the proportion of households with internet access 2012 2022
- Table 10 Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers 2012 2022
- Table 11 Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers (regulator data) 2017 2021
- Table 12 Market share of broadband subscribers by operator 2018 2021
- Table 13 Fixed broadband subscribers by operator 2019 2021
- Table 14 Fixed lines in service and teledensity 2012 2027
- Table 15 Fixed-line subscribers by operator 2017 2021
- Table 16 Increase in international bandwidth 2012 2021
- Table 17 Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity in Eswatini 1999 2011
- Table 18 Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate in Eswatini 1999 2011
- Table 19 Historic - MTN Eswatini ARPU 2001 2011
- Table 20 Historic - Internet users and penetration rate in Eswatini 2000 2015
- Table 21 Historic - Proportion of households with internet access 2007 2011
- Table 22 Historic - SPTC financial results (SZL million) 2004 2012
- Table 23 Historic - Growth in the number of broadband subscribers in Eswatini 2008 2011
- Table 24 Historic - Increase in international bandwidth 2008 2011
List of Charts
- 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 Change in telecom revenue by type 2018 2021
- Chart 11 Change in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Chart 12 Change in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Chart 13 Change in the number of MTN Eswatini's subscribers 2012 2022
- Chart 14 Development of MTN Eswatini's financial data 2015 2021
- Chart 15 Fall in MTN Eswatini's mobile ARPU 2012 2022
- Chart 16 Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers 2012 2022
- Chart 17 Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers (regulator data) 2017 2021
- Chart 18 Market share of broadband subscribers by operator 2018 2021
- Chart 19 Fixed lines in service and teledensity 2012 2027
- Chart 20 Fixed-line subscribers by operator 2017 2021
List of Exhibits
- 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 Map of Eswatini
- Exhibit 7 Licence concessions by spectrum range
- Exhibit 8 MTN Eswatini licence conditions
