Profile
Tanzania’s teledensity is low, currently standing at 1.2 while the number of mobile phone subscribers stands at 81 per 10,000 inhabitants. The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), using fibre optic, microwave and satellite-based links, is now over 95% digital. However, the coverage of the network infrastructure is limited to urban areas.Tanzania telecommunication sector is undergoing extensive
modernisation. The sector is dominated by the Tanzania Telecommunication Company
Ltd (TTCL), which is the main gateway to international exchanges. The sector was
liberalised in 1993, opening the market for both local and foreign investment.
 Currently there are five cellular mobile network
operators licenced by Tanzania Communication Commission (TCC) which are
MIC (T) Ltd (Mobitel); TRI Telecommunication Tanzania
Limited (TRITEL); Zanzibar Telecommunication Company
(ZANTEL), Vodacom (T) Ltd and Celtel Tanzania Ltd. Celtel,
Vodacom, Mobitel and Tritel are operating in both the
mainland and Zanzibar.Currently there are nine Public Data Communication
Service Providers including Simbanet (T) Ltd a subsidiary of
International Communication Systems (ICS), Datel (T) Ltd, Wilken
Afsat (T) Ltd, Equant (T) Ltd., Fastcom Ltd., Soft-Tech
Consultants Ltd., Tansat Ltd., Simunet Ltd. and Pocanet Ltd..
 On February 28, 2001, the Government sold 35% of its
TTCL shares to a consortium of Detecon of Germany and MSI of Netherlands. The
investor is committed to increase the number of exchange connections from the present
173,000 to 850,000 in the next four years. TTCL is currently implementing a rural automation
project, which is geared at ensuring that all district centers and suburbs (with economic
potential) have full automation digital exchanges. Another programme underway is the
Telecommunication Restructuring Programme (TRP). The TRP has managed to raise
teledensity from 3 telephones per 1,000 inhabitants to 7 telephones per 1,000 people.
Regulatory Mechanism 
As
part of the government's initiative to restructure the
communications sector, a regulatory body Tanzania Communication
Commission (TCC) was established under the Tanzania Communications Act
No.18 of 1993, and became operational in 1994. The Commission is
charged with the responsibility of regulating the service providers
in the postal and telecommunications sectors.
According to the provisions of Act No 18 of 1993
under section 9, the Commission has power of licensing and regulating
telecommunication systems and services in the United Republic. The
powers conferred on the commission under this sub-section include:
The right to issue licences and to regulate the
establishment, installation, use, working, maintenance, development,
construction, promotion, hiring and selling of telecommunication systems and services.
Opportunities
• Opportunities exist in modern technology provision
and supporting services to the industry players.
 • Other Opportunities include establishment of call
centres and other voice operation, pre-press activities, imaging activities
and high value added data processing and data capture.
• There are also opportunities for mobile cellular
operators, public data communication operators, closed user group data
communication providers, radio paging service providers and Internet service businesses.
For more information or if you have a particular
project that you would like to implement, please
contact us. |
