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Morocco Broadband Overview

Morocco is one of the most advanced telecommunications markets in Africa, featuring a majority-privatised highly profitable incumbent operator, three fixed network operators, mobile penetration in excess of 40 per cent and the highest penetration and lowest prices for broadband access in North Africa. Since the telecom reforms were instituted in the 1990’s and liberalisation set in motion in 2000, the market has experienced phenomenal growth, particularly in the mobile segment.

The incumbent fixed-line operator is Maroc Telecom which emerged in 1998 from the restructuring of the Office National des Postes et Télécommunications. Maroc Telecom is the leading telecoms operator in Morocco with three main business units. These are telecom retail services, wholesale/networks and administrative and financial. Maroc Telecom operates in both fixed and mobile communication segments. Its fixed operations expanded into multimedia and TV service provisioning with the introduction of IPTV services in 2006. Maroc Telecom is still partly state-owned. In June 2007, the Moroccan state announced the sale of a 4 per cent stake in Maroc Telecom, offering 35.16 million ordinary shares to Moroccan and international investors. If the transfer is successful, it will reduce state ownership to 30 per cent.

Morocco’s fixed telephony coverage was approximately 6.36 per cent in June 2007 increasing to 8.95 per cent in June 2008 representing 2.76 million subscribers. Maroc Telecom has a 48.12 per cent share of the fixed telephony subscriber market, beaten into second place by Wana with 51.65 per cent. Medi Telecom has a fractional share of 0.23 per cent.

In June 2007, there were 17.64 million mobile subscribers, representing total penetration rate of 57.8 per cent. With a market share of 66.4 per cent, Maroc Telecom was the market leader in June 2007. Medi Telecom (Meditel), the second largest mobile operator with a market share of 33.6 per cent was bravely fighting back with promotional offers and cheap tariffs. However, Meditel’s success in increasing market share has proven elusive. By June 2008, the number of mobile subscribers reached 21.4 million, and penetration was 69.43 per cent. Maroc Telecom held two thirds of the mobile market or 66.37 per cent while Medi Telecom had 33.63 per cent. Both operators, as well as Wana (previously Maroc Connect) were awarded 3G licenses in June 2006. Wana’s 3G service went live in May 2007.