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MOROCCO |
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Telecom & internet |
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Morocco has successfully undertaken major reforms in the telecommunications sector over the past decade. In 1999 the ex-Office des Postes et Télécommunications was divided into two entities: Morocco Telecom for telephony and Barid Al Maghrib for postal operations. |
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Telecom & internet |
Morocco has successfully undertaken major reforms in the telecommunications sector over the past decade. In 1999 the ex-Office des Postes et Télécommunications was divided into two entities: Morocco Telecom for telephony and Barid Al Maghrib for postal operations. An independent organisation, the National Agency for Telecommunications Regulations (ANRT), is now in charge of licensing. Under the TELECOM I and II plans, Morocco launched liberalisation of the telecommunications sector.
In 1999, the State granted a GSM licence to Médi Télécom (for MAD10.6 billion), a company newly in competition with Morocco Télécom, and a second block corresponding to 16 percent of capital in Morocco Télécom was sold to Vivendi in 2004, amounting to 51 percent of holdings. ANRT allotted five GMPCS licences (Global Mobile Personal Communications Systems) to Soremar, the European DataCom Maghreb, Thuraya Maghreb, Globalstar North Africa, and Orbcomm Maghreb. Three VSAT cellular telephony licenses were allotted to CimeCom (ex Argos), SpaceCom and Gulfsat Maghreb. Three 3RP licences (Radioelectric Networks with Shared Resources) were allotted to Moratel, Inquam Telecom and Miden. It is also expected that 3G fixed telephony and UMTS licenses will be issued in 2006. A tender was launched in May 2006 for three 3G licences and another one is scheduled for 2007.
The cellular phone market is in full expansion, with a penetration rate of 41.46 percent as of the end of December 2005 (vs. 31.23 percent in 2004 and 9 percent in 2001). There are 12,392,805 subscribers and pre-paid telephones are used by 97 percent of customers. On the other hand, the penetration rate for fixed telephony is low, estimated at just 4.49 percent in 2005 (1.350 million subscribers). By the end of 2005, there were 262,326 internet subscribers, an increase of 331.4 percent since December 2003. The number of ADSL subscribers is also increasing, posting an annual growth rate of almost 294 percent for 2005.
The internet market is highly concentrated. While Morocco had allowed many (300) small internet service providers to enter the market, there are only two major ISPs: Menara, owned by Morocco Telecom, and Wanadoo Morocco. Only 1.5 percent of Moroccans use internet and 85 percent of activity is concentrated in the approximately 2020 public-access phones “cybercafes”.
Foreign companies looking to outsource or move operations to a less expensive location are attracted by Morocco's technological know-how and infrastructure.
The call centre industry is booming and in just a few years, Morocco has become a leader in offshore French-speaking call centre activities. There are approximately 140 call centres (according to ANRT), including a hundred outsourcing call centres. There are currently 18,000 positions employing 25,000 agents, as well as indirect employment. Annual growth is estimated at 2000 posts. 85 percent of this turnover is generated through activities with France and Spain. Webhelp has grown to six sites in Morocco, with 600 positions. Phone Assistance has opened an 800-position site in Marrakech. Atento is opening a new site in Tetouan, and Grupo Konecta has two 500-position sites. The “SICCAM” (Salon International des Centres de Contacts et d'Appels du Maroc), international fair has been the key professional meeting of call centres in Morocco since 2004. |
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