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TUNISIA |
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Telecommunications infrastructure is highly developed in Tunisia. The telecommunications network counted some 7 million subscribers in 2005, including 5.7 million mobile subscribers. Approximately 9.4 percent of the population had access to internet in 2005, with nearly a million subscribers. |
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Tunisia |
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Telecom & internet |
Telecommunications infrastructure is highly developed in Tunisia. The telecommunications network counted some 7 million subscribers in 2005, including 5.7 million mobile subscribers. Approximately 9.4 percent of the population had access to internet in 2005, with nearly a million subscribers. The communication and information technologies sector posted high growth of about 21 percent. The Tunisian Government in 1999 set the goal of providing all Tunisians with access to high-level telecommunications services in terms of quality and cost.
The 10th Economic and Social Development Plan (2002-06) has scheduled TD 2.8 billion in investment in telecommunications. The principal measures relating to modernisation and development of ICT infrastructure are the improvement of phone network coverage and quality, higher internet network capacity, better networks to exchange data between users (educational, commercial). A whole set of actions and measures were adopted in the data-processing sector, relating in particular to electronic administration, support for the private sector to invest in the field of data processing, promotion of the national software industry, and diffusion of electronic culture on a large scale.
In parallel, Tunisia started opening the sector to competition, in line with GATS commitments and in preparation for future negotiations with the WTO.
Several important actions were undertaken to update the legal framework and adapt it to the reference document annexed to protocol IV on basic telecommunications, in particular adoption of a new communications code and establishment of an independent regulatory agency.
The traditional operator, Tunisia Telecom, is the sole supplier of most basic services (fixed telephony, telex, fixed satellites and rented lines). 35 percent of capital at Tunisia Telecom was sold at the end of 2005 to TeCom Dig (Dubai) for TD 3.05 billion, more than the cumulative total of revenue from privatisation since 1987.
Two operators share the cellular telephony market: Tunisia Telecom (Tunicell) and the Egyptian company Orascom Telecom Tunisia (OTT), which acquired its licence at a cost of TD 680 million. According to authorities, OTT had more than one million subscribers in 2005, with turnover of approximately TD 375 million.
The Tunisian Internet Agency (ATI) manages the internet network at the national level. There are twelve providers (ISP) in all, seven public and five private, and 281 public access “Publinet” facilities. Connection to ADSL has been available since May 2002 but growth has been slow because of cost, considered to be too high.
Call centre export of services has enjoyed major development over the past few years. There are currently seven foreign call centres employing 1,100 people, six of which are totally exporting companies. According to official sources, “new relatively advantageous technical and financial conditions for the acquisition of powerful telephone systems, meant to attract foreigners (even if they are not specific to call centres) explain to a great extent their development in Tunisia”. Technical factors specific to Tunisia include the ready availability of skilled staff, fluency in French, and favourable labour costs compared to other countries. |
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