Chad slowly developing fixed broadband sector
Chad's fixed telecom infrastructure is underdeveloped even by the low standards of the region. Most voice and data connectivity is via the mobile networks of Moov Africa Chad and Airtel Chad. Although both operators struggle to generate revenue in a market where customers have little disposable income, they are supported by being local business units of significant regional players.
Both operators have nevertheless seen their subscribers bases increase steadily in recent years. Moov Africa Chad reported a 14.2% increase in the number of mobile subscribers in the year to September 2021.
While Moov and Airtel focus investment in mobile network infrastructure to expand the reach of their 3G and LTE services, there is also tentative investment in fixed-line broadband. Given that the country's copper network is very meagre, and is largely limited to the capital N'Djamena, there is a business case to develop new fibre rather than bother with upgrading exiting copper. At the end of 2021, Moov announced plans to launch a limited FttP network in N'Djamena during 2022.
This is only a start of a potential development in the fixed-line sector which will be supported by Chad's increased connectivity to international fibre cables. Chad is participating in the 500km Trans-Saharan Backbone as well as the Central Africa Backbone and other cables. Since mid-2020 the government has funded several ICT projects, including a new national data centre and associated 1,200km fibre network, a 50km metro network in N'Djamena, and an additional 200 mobile towers for Sotel Tchad.
Domestic internet capacity increased from 270Mb/s in 2017 to 5,479Mb/s in 2020. This increase was largely due to the Chad-Sudan link, which also reduced wholesale access costs. In turn the cost for retail access has fallen, which makes connectivity more viable for a greater proportion of the population.
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 infrastructure
- Other infrastructure developments
- Major mobile operators
- Mobile content and applications
Fixed-line broadband market
- Introduction and statistical overview
Fixed network operator
- Sotel Tchad
Telecommunications infrastructure
- Data centres
- International infrastructure
- Submarine cables
- The Central African Backbone (CAB)
- Other projects
Appendix Historic data
- Glossary of abbreviations
- Related reports
List of Tables
- Table 1 Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Chad 2022 (e)
- Table 2 Telecom market revenue by sector (XAF billion) 2012 2020
- Table 3 Change in telecom market investment by main operator (XAF billion) 2015 2020
- Table 4 Average annual telecom ARPU 2012 2020
- Table 5 Development of mobile revenue by operator (XAF billion) 2012 2020
- Table 6 Development of total mobile sector revenue 2012 2020
- Table 7 Change in the market share telecom revenue by service 2013 2020
- Table 8 Annual change in mobile revenue by service 2014 2020
- Table 9 Growth in the number of mobile base stations in service 2012 2020
- Table 10 Decline in average annual mobile voice ARPU 2012 2020
- Table 11 Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Table 12 Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by operator 2012 2020
- Table 13 Growth in mobile voice traffic by operator (million minutes) 2012 2020
- Table 14 Development of SMS revenue 2012 2020
- Table 15 Increase in SMS traffic 2013 2020
- Table 16 Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2014 2027
- Table 17 Growth in mobile broadband revenue 2013 2020
- Table 18 Increase in the number of Airtel Chad's subscribers 2012 2020
- Table 19 Increase in the number of Moov Africa Chad's subscribers 2012 2022
- Table 20 Change in the number of Salam Mobile subscribers 2012 2020
- Table 21 Change in the number of m-money subscribers 2015 2020
- Table 22 Change in the market share of m-money revenue by operator 2014 2020
- Table 23 Increase in m-money revenue by operator (XAF million) 2014 2020
- Table 24 Growth in the number of fixed-line internet subscribers 2012 2027
- Table 25 Change in average annual internet ARPU 2012 2020
- Table 26 Growth in the number of total internet subscribers 2012 2020
- Table 27 Growth in total internet sector revenue 2012 2020
- Table 28 Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity 2012 2027
- Table 29 Change in average annual fixed-line ARPU 2012 2020
- Table 30 Increase in international internet bandwidth 2012 2020
- Table 31 Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity in Chad 1999 2011
- Table 32 Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate in Chad 2000 2011
- Table 33 Historic - Internet users and penetration rate in Chad 1998 2011
- Table 34 Historic - Airtel Chad mobile subscribers 2005 2011
- Table 35 Historic - Average annual telecom ARPU 2008 2011
- Table 36 Historic - Increase in the number of Tigo Chad's subscribers 2008 2011
- Table 37 Historic - Change in the number of Salam Mobile subscribers 2008 2011
- Table 38 Historic - Telecom market revenue by sector (XAF billion) 2009 2011
- Table 39 Historic - Growth in the number of mobile base stations in service 2009 2011
- Table 40 Historic - Growth in the number of total internet subscribers 2009 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 Telecom market revenue by sector 2012 2020
- Chart 11 Change in telecom market investment by main operator 2015 2020
- Chart 12 Average annual telecom ARPU 2012 2020
- Chart 13 Development of mobile revenue by operator 2012 2020
- Chart 14 Development of total mobile sector revenue 2012 2020
- Chart 15 Change in the market share telecom revenue by service 2013 2020
- Chart 16 Growth in the number of mobile base stations in service 2012 2020
- Chart 17 Decline in average annual mobile voice ARPU 2012 2020
- Chart 18 Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Chart 19 Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by operator 2012 2020
- Chart 20 Growth in mobile voice traffic by operator 2012 2020
- Chart 21 Development of SMS revenue 2012 2020
- Chart 22 Increase in SMS traffic 2013 2020
- Chart 23 Growth in the number of active mobile subscribers and penetration 2014 2027
- Chart 24 Growth in mobile broadband revenue 2013 2020
- Chart 25 Increase in the number of Airtel Chad's subscribers 2012 2020
- Chart 26 Increase in the number of Moov Africa Chad's subscribers 2012 2022
- Chart 27 Change in the number of Salam Mobile subscribers 2012 2020
- Chart 28 Change in the number of m-money subscribers 2015 2020
- Chart 29 Change in the market share of m-money revenue by operator 2014 2020
- Chart 30 Increase in m-money revenue by operator 2014 2020
- Chart 31 Growth in the number of fixed-line internet subscribers 2012 2027
- Chart 32 Change in average annual internet ARPU 2012 2020
- Chart 33 Total internet subscribers 2012 2020
- Chart 34 Growth in total internet sector revenue 2012 2020
- Chart 35 Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity 2012 2027
- Chart 36 Change in average annual fixed-line ARPU (XAF) 2012 2020
- Chart 37 Increase in international internet bandwidth (Mb/s) 2012 2020
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 Chad
- Exhibit 7 National fibre backbone section routes to be deployed
Executive Summary
Chad slowly developing fixed broadband sectorChad’s fixed telecom infrastructure is underdeveloped even by the low standards of the region. Most voice and data connectivity is via the mobile networks of Moov Africa Chad and Airtel Chad. Although both operators struggle to generate revenue in a market where customers have little disposable income, they are supported by being local business units of significant regional players.
Both operators have nevertheless seen their subscriber bases increase steadily in recent years. Moov Africa Chad reported a 14.2% increase in the number of mobile subscribers in the year to September 2021.
While Moov and Airtel focus investment in mobile network infrastructure to expand the reach of their 3G and LTE services, there is also tentative investment in fixed-line broadband. Given that the country’s copper network is very meagre, and is largely limited to the capital N’Djamena, there is a business case to develop new fibre rather than bother with upgrading exiting copper. At the end of 2021, Moov announced plans to launch a limited FttP network in N’Djamena during 2022.
This is only a start of a potential development in the fixed-line sector which will be supported by Chad’s increased connectivity to international fibre cables. Chad is participating in the 500km Trans-Saharan Backbone as well as the Central Africa Backbone and other cables. Since mid-2020 the government has funded several ICT projects, including a new national data centre and associated 1,200km fibre network, a 50km metro network in N’Djamena, and an additional 200 mobile towers for Sotel Tchad.
Domestic internet capacity increased from 270Mb/s in 2017 to 5,479Mb/s in 2020. This increase was largely due to the Chad-Sudan link, which also reduced wholesale access costs. In turn the cost for retail access has fallen, which makes connectivity more viable for a greater proportion of the population.
