ARTICLE - TELECOMS, MOBILE & BROADBAND

HAITI - TELECOMS, MOBILE AND BROADBAND
(Research and Markets) -

A sector and country in reconstruction

BuddeComm’s Haiti - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband profiles the fixed-line, mobile and broadband markets in Haiti.

Haiti’s economic and social indicators remain far lower than the average for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The recent years of political and economic turmoil and natural disasters have stifled most sectors of the economy, including Haiti’s telecommunications sector which remains one of the least developed in the world.

During 2010 the country was focused on reconstruction efforts following the devastating earthquake in January of that year. The privatisation of Teleco, which was due to be finalised on the eve that the earthquake struck, went ahead in 2010, with Viettel acquiring 60% of the company for approximately $60 million.

This report contains overviews, analyses and statistics of the Haitian fixed-line, mobile and internet markets.

Market highlights:

Haiti’s fixed line teledensity remained amongst the lowest in the world, at around 1%. Though progress in network development is slow, growth potential is significant.

The Vietnamese military-owned telco Viettel acquired a 60% share in Teleco, which was effectively transformed into a new entity, Natcom. The deal may invigorate the company as it struggles to deal with Haiti’s pressing infrastructure problems.

Viettel’s bid included a commitment to build a 2,000km fibre optic cable to provide internet access in particular to remote areas. During 2011 Natcom began replacing and expanding the ruined fixed line network with the aim of providing national services including DSL broadband access.

The mobile market has entered a phase of renewed competition following the entry of Natcom, which began rolling out its GSM/3G mobile network in 2011 and launched commercial mobile services at the end of 2011.

Digicel Jamaica’s extension to the existing Fibralink submarine cable, expected to be operational in mid-2012, will provide a much needed boost to capacity, particularly in the required backhaul for international mobile data.