Ethiopia, located in the Horn of Africa, is a landlocked country marked by diverse terrain, from the rugged Simien Mountains to the scorching Danakil Depression. It has a population of over 120 million, largely scattered in rural areas, which presents a challenge for the provision of reliable telecommunications infrastructure. There's a distinct lack of internet penetration, with only around 17% of the population having access. To tackle this, the government is focusing on expanding telecom services through partnerships with international companies. The country has also embarked on large-scale renewable energy projects, such as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which is set to be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa. Another innovative solution is the installation of solar-powered kiosks that enable rural populations to charge mobile devices and access the internet, addressing connectivity and power supply issues simultaneously.
Mobile Network Operators
The are 2 companies operating mobile networks in this region.
Ethio telecom, formerly known as the Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC), is a state-owned telecommunications company based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Established in 1952 as the Imperial Board of Telecommunications of Ethiopia (IBTE), the company has gone through several reorganisations, becoming the Ethiopian Telecommunications Service in 1975, the Ethiopian Telecommunications Authority in 1981, and finally ETC in 1996. It is the primary internet and telephone service provider in Ethiopia and holds a monopoly over all telecommunications services in the country. The Ethiopian...
Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia P.L.C., initially known as Global Partnership for Ethiopia BV (GPE), is a telecommunications entity established to operate within Ethiopia. The company was granted a licence to operate telecom services in the country, marking a significant foreign direct investment into Ethiopia with a licence fee of US$850 million. The company was granted a nationwide full-service Unified Telecommunications Service License on 9 July 2021 and officially registered as Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia Plc in July 2021.