Morocco - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband

This annual report provides a comprehensive overview of trends and developments in Morocco’s telecommunications market.

Subjects covered include:

- Key statistics;
- Market and industry overviews;
- Government policies affecting the telecoms industry;
- Market liberalisation and regulatory issues;
- Telecoms operators – privatisation, acquisitions, new licences and competition;
- Major players (fixed, mobile and broadband);
- Infrastructure development;
- National fibre backbone networks;
- Mobile voice and data markets, including 3G, 4G;
- Internet and broadband development and pricing trends;
- Convergence (voice/data, fixed/wireless/mobile);
- 3G mobile broadband services and market share;
- Average revenue per user (ARPU) and churn.

1. Key Statistics
1.1 Country overview

2. Telecommunications Market
2.1 Overview of UAE’s telecom market

3. Regulatory Environment
3.1 Background
3.2 Regulatory authority
3.3 Liberalisation
3.3.1 Second operator
3.3.2 Third operator
3.3.3 Satellite licence
3.3.4 Interconnection and access
3.3.5 Number Portability (NP)
3.4 VoIP usage

4. Fixed Network Market
4.1 Overview
4.2 Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat)
4.3 Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company/du
4.4 Yahsat

5. Telecommunications Infrastructure
5.1 National telecom networks
5.2 International infrastructure
5.2.1 Submarine cable networks
5.2.2 Terrestrial cable networks
5.2.3 Satellite networks

6. Broadband and Internet Market
6.1 Overview
6.1.1 Censorship and site blocking
6.1.2 Dubai Internet City (DIC)
6.2 Broadband statistics
6.3 Internet access locations
6.4 Fibre to the Home (FttH)
6.5 Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)
6.6 Cable modems
6.7 Wireless broadband
6.7.1 WiFi
6.7.2 WiMAX
6.7.3 Internet via satellite

7. Digital Media / Digital Economy
7.1 Overview
7.2 Services
7.2.1 E-Commerce
7.2.2 E-Government
7.2.3 E-health
7.2.4 E-learning
7.3 Smart cities/smart communities
7.3.1 Overview
7.3.2 Masdar City
7.4 Digital media
7.4.1 Tejari
7.4.2 Bayt.com
7.5 Digital broadcasting
7.5.1 Overview of broadcasting market
7.5.2 Digital TV

8. Mobile Communications
8.1 Overview of UAE’s mobile market
8.2 Mobile statistics
8.3 Regulatory issues
8.3.1 Overview
8.3.2 Mobile number portability
8.3.3 Roaming tariff reduction
8.4 Mobile technologies
8.4.1 Analogue and digital
8.4.2 Third generation mobile
8.4.3 Long Term Evolution (LTE)
8.5 Major mobile operators
8.5.1 Etisalat
8.5.2 Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company/du
8.6 Mobile voice services
8.6.1 Prepaid
8.6.2 Satellite mobile
8.7 Mobile messaging
8.7.1 Short Message Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)
8.8 Mobile broadband
8.9 Mobile content and applications
8.9.1 Etisalat
8.9.2 du
8.9.3 Mobile TV
8.9.4 M-commerce

9. Forecasts
9.1 Broadband forecasts
9.1.1 Scenario 1 – higher growth
9.1.2 Scenario 2 – lower growth
9.1.3 Notes on scenario forecasts

10. Glossary of Abbreviations

Table 1 – Country statistics United Arab Emirates – 2012
Table 2 – Telephone network statistics – 2013
Table 3 – Internet user and subscriber statistics – 2013
Table 4 – Broadband statistics – 2013
Table 5 – Mobile statistics – 2013
Table 6 – National telecommunications authority
Table 7 – GDP growth and inflation – 2005 - 2013
Table 8 – Total telecommunications revenue by sector – 2007 - 2011
Table 9 – Total fixed network revenue and ARPU – 2007 - 2011
Table 10 – Total domestic and international voice revenue – 2008 - 2011
Table 11 – International outgoing traffic – 2008 - 2011
Table 12 – International outgoing revenue – 2008 - 2011
Table 13 – Average monthly spend on fixed services – October 2012
Table 14 – Total fixed voice minutes and Monthly MOU – 2008 - 2011
Table 15 – Total annual fixed voice minutes breakdown – 2008 - 2011
Table 16 – Reasons for not having a fixed line at home – October 2012
Table 17 – Reasons for cancelling fixed line at home – October 2012
Table 18 – Etisalat group revenues and divisional representation – 2005 - 2012
Table 19 – Etisalat fixed subscribers and ARPU – 2010 - 2012
Table 20 – du revenue and profit/loss – 2006 - 2012
Table 21 – du fixed line subscribers – 2007 - 2012
Table 22 – du fixed line subscribers breakdown – September 2012
Table 23 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1995 - 2013
Table 24 – Internet user and penetration – 1995 - 2013
Table 25 – Internet subscribers and penetration – 2000 - 2013
Table 26 – Broadband penetration – 2008 - 2013
Table 27 – Etisalat fixed broadband subscribers – 2010 - 2012
Table 28 – Home internet subscriptions by type – October 2012
Table 29 – Home internet subscriptions by speed – October 2012
Table 30 – Reasons for not having an internet connection at home – October 2012
Table 31 – Internet and broadband subscribers by access method – 2008 - 2011
Table 32 – Residential and business internet and broadband subscribers – 2007 - 2011
Table 33 – Total internet revenue and internet and broadband ARPU – 2007 - 2011
Table 34 – Residential and business ARPU – 2008 - 2011
Table 35 – Internet access locations – October 2012
Table 36 – Online activity by individuals – October 2012
Table 37 – Home internet package distribution – October 2012
Table 38 – du IPTV subscribers – 2008 - 2012
Table 39 – Etisalat e-life subscribers – 2010 - 2012
Table 40 – Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1995 - 2013
Table 41 - Mobile operators’ market share – 2007 - 2012
Table 42 – Total mobile revenue and ARPU – 2007 - 2011
Table 43 – Prepaid vs postpaid revenue – 2008 – 2011
Table 44 – Total mobile voice minutes and monthly MOU – 2008 – 2011
Table 45 – Total annual mobile voice minutes breakdown – 2008 - 2011
Table 46 – Mobile services usage by frequency of use – October 2012
Table 47 – Average monthly spend on mobile services – October 2012
Table 48 – Multiple SIM card ownership reasons – October 2012
Table 49 – Reasons for having a postpaid mobile connection – October 2012
Table 50 – Etisalat mobile subscribers and blended ARPU – 2010 - 2012
Table 51 - du Mobile subscribers and ARPU – 2010 - 2012
Table 52 – du Mobile minutes of use (MOU) – 2010 - 2012
Table 53 – Prepaid subscribers – 2005 - 2013
Table 54 – Reasons for having a prepaid mobile connection – October 2012
Table 55 – Etisalat prepaid subscribers – 2010 - 2012
Table 56 – Numbers of SMS and MMS sent – 2007 - 2011
Table 57– Etisalat consumer market mobile broadband offerings – January 2013
Table 58 – du consumer market mobile broadband offerings – January 2013
Table 59 – Mobile application usage – 2012
Table 60 – Forecast broadband subscribers – higher growth scenario – 2013, 2015; 2020
Table 61 – Forecast broadband subscribers – lower growth scenario – 2013, 2015; 2020

Chart 1 – UAE fixed-line and mobile subscribers – 2000 - 2013

2013 a big year for telecoms in MoroccoMorocco is one of the most advanced telecommunications markets in Africa and often seen as a role model for future developments in other parts of the continent. It features a majority-privatised, highly profitable incumbent telco (Maroc Telecom, MT), three fixed and mobile network operators, as well as the highest penetration and some of the lowest prices on the continent for broadband Internet access.
The planned sale of a 53% stake in MT in 2013 is expected to fetch over US$7 billion, more than twice of what it was bought for around ten years ago. The fixed-line incumbent also operates the leading mobile network in Morocco as well as networks in three other African countries and an MVNO in Europe.

The fixed-line market has experienced a renaissance in Morocco following the launch of the countrys second and third network operators and fuelled by the growing demand for broadband services. Most of the new connections are wireless and increasingly converging with mobile services.
The Internet market was dominated by MT’s ADSL broadband service which once held over 90% of the market. However, five years after their introduction, third-generation (3G) mobile broadband services had taken more than 80% of the broadband market by 2012. This trend is continuing in 2013, since the mobile networks reach a far greater percentage of the population than MT’s copper fixed-line network. A ten-year National Broadband Plan has been launched, aiming to provide fixed or mobile broadband access to the entire population by 2022. Fourth generation (4G) LTE mobile licences will be issued in 2013.

At well over 100%, Morocco has one of the highest mobile market penetration rates in Africa. With all three major carriers being fixed as well as mobile network operators, the boundaries between fixed and mobile are beginning to disappear as technologies and services converge. Innovative new services have been introduced such as the first commercial IPTV service on the continent. To accommodate the increasing amount of voice and Internet traffic, fibre optic national backbone networks and international connectivity are being expanded. A new terabit international cable from Europe landed in the country in 2012.

Market highlights:

- Majority stake in Maroc Telecom up for sale;
- 4G/LTE licences to be issued in 2013;
- New terabit international fibre optic cable lands;
- Fixed-mobile convergence;
- One of Africas most advanced broadband markets;
- 3G mobile broadband captures more than 80% of the market;National broadband plan 2012-2022.

Distribution of ADSL access in Morocco by speed – September 2012

Download speed | Market share |
<4Mb/s | 1% |
4Mb/s | 63% |
8Mb/s | 20% |
12Mb/s | 15% |
20Mb/s | 1% |

(Source: BuddeComm based on ANRT and company data)

- Maroc Telecom
- Medi Telecom (Meditel)
- Inwi (Wana
- Maroc Connect)
- Vivendi
- France Telecom
- Zain
- Morocco Trade and Development Services (MTDS)