Sid Ali Zerrouki, Algerian Minister of Post and Telecommunications, urged mobile operators to take the necessary steps to accelerate the achievement of national connectivity targets. This was during a meeting held on Sunday, February 2, with telecoms company executives and Mohamed El Hadi Hannachi, Chairman of the Board of the Post and Electronic Communications Regulatory Authority (ARPCE).

The objectives in question are improving network performance and expanding coverage to all populated areas, ensuring complete coverage of major roads, as well as increasing bandwidth capacities and improving user experience in accordance with the highest international standards. The Minister also called for accelerating the implementation of the universal service program aimed at covering 1,400 sparsely populated areas with telephony and 4G mobile Internet.

According to Mr. Zerrouki, these initiatives aim in particular to support the implementation of Algeria’s national digital transformation strategy. The strategy reflects the government’s vision of developing the information society by generalizing the use of ICT in all sectors of the economy. This will require full access for the population to quality connectivity services, among others.

According to ARPCE data, Algeria had 52.2 million mobile phone subscribers and around 55 million Internet subscribers, including 49.2 million mobile Internet subscribers, for a population estimated at 45.6 million by the World Bank in 2023. However, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) estimates the Internet penetration rate at 71.2%, compared to 85.9% for mobile telephony.

It is worth recalling that the measures planned by the government once implemented can help improve the coverage of telecom services in the country. The adoption and use of these services by the populations can however be limited by the restricted access to smartphones, the high cost of the said services, and the lack of basic digital skills…

Source: Agency EcoFin