The GSMA expects that there will be 240 million mobile broadband connections in sub-Saharan Africa by 2015, compared to just 4 million fixed broadband connections as per a report from GSMA and Plum Consulting.
In order to achieve this number, GSMA has announced greater allocation of spectrum for mobile broadband which is vital for the economic and social development of sub-Saharan Africa. The findings focuses on release of mobile broadband spectrum in the digital dividend and the 2.6GHz bands by 2015 in sub-Saharan Africa.
The release of spectrum would lead to creating up to 27 million new jobs, increase GDP per capita by 5.2 per cent, which will directly lift 40 million people out of poverty by 2025.
Currently, just 80 MHz of spectrum is available for delivering mobile broadband service in a typical African market. In contrast, mobile operators in many middle and high-income markets have access up to 400 MHz of spectrum for delivering mobile broadband.
The GSMA is therefore calling on countries across the region, including Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania, to urgently release harmonized spectrum for mobile broadband. This will expand the reach and availability of affordable broadband services and help realize significant economic and human development gains for sub-Saharan Africa.
''African governments must act now to release much-needed spectrum for mobile broadband services if they are to meet the UN’s 40 per cent broadband target,'' said Peter Lyons, Director of Spectrum Policy, Africa and Middle East, GSMA.
Increased spectrum will lower the cost of mobile devices, improve speed of data communication, and ultimately help nearly 40 million Africans escape poverty he added.
<>P> By licensing spectrum in the digital dividend and the 2.5 GHz bands for mobile broadband, governments in the region have the opportunity to increase total spectrum available by approximately 70 per cent.
In particular, the digital dividend band, which is currently used for analogue television broadcasting, offers widespread mobile broadband coverage in rural areas and improved indoor penetration in urban areas. In rural areas alone, the digital dividend band could deliver mobile broadband service to between 40 to 80 per cent of the population.