Chadian citizens frequently complain about poor telecom services, particularly internet quality. The latest major outage occurred on October 15 and lasted about 24 hours.
Boukar Michel (photo), Chad’s Minister of Communications, Digital Economy, and Digitalization of Administration, has announced a series of projects aimed at modernizing the national telecom network and reducing consumer costs. He addressed the National Transitional Council on November 5, following the adoption of a law amending Article 13 of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Postal Services (ARCEP).
A New Mobile Operator to Enter the Market
One of the key initiatives includes the upcoming launch of Salam, a subsidiary of the state-owned operator Sotel, which will end the current duopoly of Airtel and Moov Africa. In Q3 2024, Moov Africa Chad, a subsidiary of Maroc Telecom Group, reported 6.7 million subscribers and held a 55% market share as of September 2023, making it the market leader.
The entry of Salam is expected to increase competition, ultimately benefiting Chadian consumers seeking better quality services at more affordable prices.
Additionally, the government aims to sell 60% of its stake in Sotel to a private investor to bring in the technical and financial resources needed to revitalize the operator and make it more competitive against Airtel and Moov Africa. Sotel’s fixed and mobile subscriber base has declined over the past seven years, reaching only 23,907 in 2020, according to ARCEP.
Improved Telecom Infrastructure
Michel also announced plans to deploy 200 telecom sites with 3G and 4G capabilities to improve nationwide coverage. According to the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) DataHub, 3G and 4G networks covered 68% and 36% of the population in 2022, respectively. While 2G coverage reached 86.8%, 5G is yet to be deployed in Chad.
This infrastructure upgrade aims to improve service quality amidst a recent decline in telecom availability. The latest significant outage on October 15 lasted approximately 24 hours, and just ten days later, Airtel Chad experienced a service disruption affecting voice, SMS, and internet for several hours.
These infrastructure investments align with the government’s strategy to strengthen the digital network, particularly through the Trans-Saharan Fiber Optic Backbone project. This initiative will connect Chad with neighboring countries, providing indirect access to undersea cables via coastal nations such as Nigeria, Benin, and Algeria, each linked to multiple undersea cables. The project is expected to be completed by late 2024 or early 2025.
These expanded capacities should enhance internet quality in Chad, a landlocked nation currently reliant on Cameroon and Sudan for its international connectivity.
Starlink
The minister also revealed ongoing discussions with satellite internet provider Starlink. The government anticipates that SpaceX’s Starlink subsidiary will help drive down internet costs.
Starlink plans to begin commercial operations in Chad in 2025, pending regulatory approvals. Pricing details for Chad are not yet available. However, in Benin, where Starlink launched in November 2023, the monthly subscription costs 30,000 CFA francs (around $50), with a one-time terminal cost of 400,000 CFA francs.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
