The fixed telephony network in Angola has lost just over 54% of subscribers in the last six years. In the period from 2018 to 2022, the figures show that the area had 171.858 landline telephone users, increasing to 93.968, which means that 77.890 companies and people stopped using previously installed services, a scenario that contrasts with the mobile communications situation that are gaining strength year after year, in a market led by Unitel.
Data from the Angolan Institute of Communications (INACOM) point out that the fixed telephony network is led by the operator TV Cabo with 45% of the market share, equivalent to 42 thousand subscribers. The 55% is divided between MSTelcom with 36%, just over 33 thousand users, then the state-owned Angola Telecom with 17% with almost 16 thousand subscriptions and Startel with 2% which represents 1.879 connections.
TV Cabo leads the fixed telephony market with 45% of the market share. Mobile platforms may be “stealing” customers from the fixed network.
The general director of Paratus, Francisco Leite, considers that the loss of fixed network customers is a natural trend, since operators stopped investing in fixed telephony, which was their core business, and started to focus on connectivity, for example.
“The increase in mobile communication platforms and the convergence of services increases the preponderance of mobility”, he said. In turn, Electromechanics engineer Kleber da Cruz considers that this picture of fewer customers on the fixed network is partly due to the lack of credibility in these services due to the instability of the signal caused by the constant theft of copper cables, which represent 90% of the infrastructure and its lack of material for immediate replacement.
"The instability of the network and new technologies lead customers to look for more solid alternatives", he said, adding that Angola Telecom, for example, started a process of discontinuing the fixed network, mainly in Luanda. According to the engineer, at provincial level, Angola Telecom has still provided telephony services to some residential and business customers.
