Carrier Mobile Broadband Network Performance: Africa & Middle East

Carriers are using mobile broadband as their weapon of choice in the fight against the commoditization of voice and falling ARPU. It is therefore imperative that carriers have networks which can consistently and reliably deliver good data performance to their customers.

This study is based on the data speed and latency measurements collected for 72 wireless carriers operating within 25 countries in Africa and the Middle East using a smartphone app. This approach has facilitated the collection of millions of individual test readings from tens of thousands of users who have conducted tests for virtually every mobile carrier in virtually every country in the world. Using these readings, ARCchart has been able to estimate averages for download speed, upload speed, latency and overall network quality, along with a measure of smartphone penetration.

This report shows there is enormous variation in the network performance between carriers and there is a genuine risk that carriers which develop a reputation for inferior performance will suffer high churn and an overall loss of subscribers.

Topics of coverage include:

Research methodology
The importance of mobile broadband to carriers
Analysis and comparison of the performance of country data networks
Analysis and comparison of the performance of carriers' data networks
Carrier network technology profiles
Carrier performance league table
Measuring mobile broadband coverage
The problem of unreliable networks
iPhone, Android and iPad carrier market share
Country smartphone and tablet penetration
Smartphone take-up throughout main towns and cities
Android OEM market share
Companies and organisations mentioned, discussed or reviewed include:
ATM Mobilis Algeria
Orascom Algeria
Wataniya Algeria
Movicel Angola
Unitel Angola
Etisalat Egypt
Mobinil Egypt
Vodafone Egypt
Airtel Ghana
MTN Ghana
Tigo Ghana
Vodafone Ghana
IranCell Iran
MCI Iran
Asia Cell Iraq
Korek Iraq
Mobitel Iraq
Orascom Iraq
Zain Iraq
Cellcom Israel
Orange (Partner) Israel
Pelephone Israel
Orange Jordan
Umniah Mobile Jordan
Zain Jordan
Airtel Kenya
Econet Wireless Kenya
Orange Kenya
Safaricom Kenya
VIVA Kuwait
Wataniya Kuwait
Zain Kuwait
Alfa Lebanon
MTC Touch Lebanon
Airtel Madagascar
Orange Madagascar
Telma Madagascar
inwi Morocco
Itissallat Morocco
Medi Telecom Morocco
mCel Mozambique
Vodacom Mozambique
leo Namibia
MTC Namibia
Airtel Nigeria
Etisalat Nigeria
Glo Mobile Nigeria
MTN Nigeria
Nawras Oman
Oman Mobile Oman
Qtel Qatar
Vodafone Qatar
Etihad-Etisalat Saudi Arabia
STC Saudi Arabia
Zain Saudi Arabia
Cell C South Africa
MTN South Africa
Telkom SA South Africa
Vodacom South Africa
Airtel Tanzania
Tigo Tanzania
Vodacom Tanzania
Zantel Tanzania
du UAE
Etisalat UAE
MTN Uganda
Orange Uganda
Uganda Telecom Uganda
Airtel Zambia
MTN Zambia
Econet Zimbabwe
Telecel Zimbabwe

Answers and opinions are provided with respect to the following essential questions:

• What is the average download, upload and latency supported by each carriers' network?
• To what extent has HSPA and HSPA+ been deployed by carriers?
• Which carriers are big supporters of Android devices?
• Why should carriers be concerned about their network’s data performance?
• What is the average data speed achieved in each country?
• How does broadband performance in the Middle East compare with Continental Africa?
• Which country has the best performing networks?
• How does HSPA+ impact data throughput?
• Which carriers exhibit the region's best performing broadband network?
• Where is iPad penetration highest?
• Which carriers are still reliant on GPRS and EDGE infrastructure?
• What are the top 5 town/cities with the highest smartphone activity?