Adequate budgeting and efficient administration takes ICT development a long way. For developing countries such as Ethiopia which has its telecommunication service under state monopoly striving to create a universal coverage has been the key mission before the country surrenders its state monopoly to the private sector through joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) initiative.
The government has been investing in communications infrastructure to fill the deficit narrowing the gap. Partnering with ZTE and Huawei for technology infrastructure development with over a billion dollars, investment has also been noted as a positive progress. There has been a massive investment on the sector with the initiative to upgrade coverage. Over the last decade, the sector has seen more than 3 billion dollars investment to develop infrastructure and expand service coverage.
Although there has been remarkable progress towards developing technology in the country through ICT development, the country has still a long way to go to reach to its ambition of becoming ICT hub.
Sector experts predict that growth is strong in Ethiopian telecom industry but considerable potential of development remains. As part of the government's second Growth and Transformation Plan which is effective until 2020, the country is predicted to have over 100 million mobile subscribers within the coming four years as well as 56 million internet subscribers according to budde.com.au research.
The country's broadband access is also set to develop further following massive increases in international bandwidth, developments in national fiber infrastructure and the growing availability of mobile broadband services through 4G, 3G and LTE networks rolled out mostly in Addis Ababa. To solve the low uptake of services due to high-prices retail prices are now comparable to other more developed markets in the region the budde.com.au research says.
The country has been investing in development of skilled human power to support its e-application and expanding communication through the domestic expertise.
The nationwide e-government strategy which was laughed back in the 2011 listed over 200 e-services to digitize services reducing paper work and time taking transactions. This initiative has also been supported by the ICT Park the country built to encourage technology related services providers and companies working in Ethiopia.
"The sector needs a particular attention to create reliable coverage and affordable services to create more access and improve delivery to take advantage of its untapped potential. Improvements are vital so that the country increases its gains from the ICT sector and made technology cope with its globally praised economic development,"travel technology experts say.
Evidently the investment in the telecom sector has grown quickly. However, the revenue generated from the sector has not shown the same growth as international direct and broadband prices remained high. Price adjustment not only increases subscription but also increases the revenue the country collects from the sector supporting the country initiative to transform itself into technology.
The country is on mission to create development on the ICT sector providing telecom services to its second populous nation aspiring to transform the country into the digital era easing service delivery.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Eden Sahle
Quelle/Source: AllAfrica, 18.01.2017
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