Benin ICT Sector Performance Review 2009/2010
Market Entry
Access to Scarce Resources
Interconnection
Tariff Regulation
Regulation of Anti-competitive practices
USO
QoS
-2
-1
0
1
2
Figure 3: TRE results for fixed-line telephones in Benin.
Source: TRE survey results (2009).
Analysis of the survey results on the evaluation of the regulatory environment of the fixed-line
telephone sector reveals that:
•
Overall, on the numbering scale from -2 to 2, the role players in the sector in Benin
allocated a score of -0,66 to the system of regulating activities in the fixed-line telephone
sector in Benin. This result expressed the dissatisfaction of role players with the regulation of
fixed-line telephones.
•
The role players are a bit more satisfied with the way in which interconnection and rates are
regulated in the telephone industry. This relative satisfaction can be explained in one part
by the fact that Bénin-Télécom SA, the fixed line sector operator, is in charge of the
establishment of the interconnection catalogue and, on the other part, we notice that the
call rates on the fixed network, excluding international calls, have dropped noticeably in
recent years.
•
The role players, through the scores, have shown their great dissatisfaction as far as the
regulation of anti-competitive behaviour, the universal service obligation, the management
of rare resources and service quality are concerned.
The GSM Mobile Telephone Market
In Benin, the mobile telephone market is the most dynamic of all the telecommunication and ICT
sectors. With five active operators, we observe a certain level of competition in this market.
Nevertheless, the role players are not too satisfied with the regulatory environment of the sector.
This would be linked to the transitional nature given to the authority in charge of the sector. Thus,
the role players allocate an overall score of -0.26 to the regulation of the sector. An in-depth analysis
of the results shows that:
•
The GSM market entry conditions in Benin are satisfactory. In fact, with five operators, it is
easy to understand why the role players gave a score of 0.14 to the GSM telephone market
entry conditions in Benin.
•
The difficulties regularly experienced by the different mobile networks during the
transmission of an off-net call explain the score of -0.31 given by the respondents.
•
Despite the efforts undertaken by the Autorité Transitoire de Régulation des Postes et
Télécommunications in the past two years to force operators to reduce their different rates
by keeping in mind real costs, the survey participants think that the regulation of prices and
the struggle against anti-competitive practices are the weak links in the regulation of the
mobile telephone sector in Benin.
•
Service quality and the management of resources are aspects of regulation that are not
yet satisfactory in these two criteria as evidenced by the scores allocated by the
respondents.
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