| COUNTRY PERSPECTIVES
-
LIBYA |
|
Telecom & internet |
|
|
Development of telecommunication infrastructure is the main focus of government plans for massive investment over the next ten years. International companies (Alcatel, Siemens, Ericsson and Nokia in particular) are already doing business in Libya. Many opportunities in Internet and data processing are available to small businesses. |
|
| Latest
News -
Libya |
| Latest
Investments -
Libya |
 |
Documents |
 |
|
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
Development of telecommunication infrastructure is the main focus of government plans for massive investment over the next ten years. International companies (Alcatel, Siemens, Ericsson and Nokia in particular) are already doing business in Libya. Many opportunities in Internet and data processing are available to small businesses. For example, some $15 million will be spent to install a data-processing network connecting Libyan banks. Demand for equipment and services relating to ICT in the public sector is growing in the framework of an ongoing master plan for networking strategic public services and the private sector, in particular foreign oil companies, which need appropriate infrastructure to carry out their projects.
The long-standing state-owned General Post and Telecommunications Company (GPTC) oversees postal services, satellite telecommunications, mobile telephony (in partnership with Al Madar, Libyana Mobile Phone), fixed telephony and other associated services, as well as Libyan internet service providers (ISPs) through the Libyan Telecom & Technology Company (LTT). GPTC also acts as a consultant for state-owned companies, supervising big projects such as the Great Man-Made River (GMMRA) and municipal (shaabiyate) initiatives.
Libya has considerable network and transmission equipment compared to its population: nearly 180 telephone exchanges (main suppliers: Alcatel, Siemens, Ericsson), 13 earth stations providing the national connections via the ARABSAT satellite (the DOMSAT network), international connections and a VSAT network. This is nearly 10,000 km of radio-relay systems and border-to-border connections, linking the Mediterranean coast from the Tunisian border to Egypt. It also provides more than 30,000 km of UHF radio bands, a 6500 km network of coaxial cables backing up the radio relay system and connecting 107 cities, set up by four Italian companies (Pirelli, SIRTI, CEAT and Telettra). In 2005, the General People’s Committee (GPC) passed a law creating the General Authority for Information and Telecommunications (GAIT), which oversees GPTC and its subsidiaries/affiliate companies as well as the National Authority for Information and Documentation (NAID).
There are many problems with maintenance of equipment in Libya. Digitisation has begun only lately and some equipment is in disrepair or out of order. The rate of penetration in fixed telephony is less than 10 percent. Procurement for the supply of telephone exchanges for 1.5 million fixed lines (including 500,000 in broadband) and 7000 km of optical fibre network was launched at the end of 2004.
There are two mobile telephony operators : Al Madar Telecom Co and Libyana Mobile Phone (LMP). The latter, created in 2004, has signed a contract with two Chinese companies: ZTE (to provide 1.5 million lines) and Huawei Technologies (to provide another million lines). In September 2004, Alcatel and Ericsson obtained a $100 million contract for the supply and installation of a 3G mobile phone network (one million lines each), the first network of this type in Africa.
The Thuraya Company, another subsidiary of GPTC with headquarters in Dubai, offers satellite telecommunication services to mobile users. Libya will be finalizing plans for the Pan African telecommunications satellite Rascom covering 44 countries, construction of which has been awarded to Alcatel. Plans for a monitoring satellite for the land environment is also under study.
The sole supplier of internet access has been LTT (Libyan Telecom Technology), a subsidiary of GPTC, but there are now three new providers. Libya is connected to the Internet by an STM1 link (155Mbps) via an underwater fibre cable between Libya and Italy. ADSL has been introduced and 10,000 lines installed. Tripoli has Internet access but for the rest of the country this involves a long-distance phone call. Web content development is still in its infancy but businesses are starting to embrace the new medium, particularly with the use of mail. Aside from a number of cyber cafes, internet access is still limited to the upper echelons of society because of high cost.
In July 2004, GPTC issued tenders for the installation of next-generation backbone and switching networks, with an eye to bringing 3 million new lines into service by the end of 2005. GPTC is considering acquiring VSAT and VoIP capabilities in the near future. In September 2004, France’s Alcatel and Finland’s Nokia won a $244 million contract to expand Libya’s nationwide mobile network by 2.5 million new lines, using EvoliumTM mobile radio access and a core network solution to serve GSM/EDGE and 3G users. Nokia’s share of the contract applies to the area from Tripoli to the Western mountains, while Alcatel’s covers Libya’s eastern and southern regions. GPTC has announced its intention to spend $10 billion on telecommunications infrastructure over the next 15 years. In 2004, GPTC launched Libyana, a second State-owned subsidiary. Libyana’s area of coverage will be limited initially to Tripoli, Benghazi and Sebha. In December 2005 the Chinese firm Huawei won a $40 million contract to increase Libyana’s capacity by 1 million mobile lines and the Swedish firm Ericsson signed a $58 million contract to provide al-Madar with another million lines. |
|
|
|
|
