Communications in Burkina Faso
Encyclopedia
Communications in Burkina Faso
are limited due to the low penetration of electricity, even in major cities. Use of telecommunications is extremely low. According to the International Telecommunication Union
, in 2004 there were only 479,000 telephone subscribers in the country of nearly 11 million people, with .061 main lines per 1000 inhabitants. This number climbs to 42.05 main lines/1000 in Ouagadougou
, but still a very low penetration rate.
The Burkinabé government, in its telecommunications development strategy, has stated its aims to make telecommunications a universal service accessible to all. A large portion of this strategy is the privatization of the National Telecommunications Office (ONATEL), with additional focus on a rural telephony promotion project.
Internet use is also low in the country, with only 40 users per 10,000 inhabitants in 2004, and just over 53,000 users total, according to the International Telecommunication Union. The sector is beginning to improve following installation of a 22 Mbit/s fiber optic international link, a vast improvement over the previous 128 kbit/s link. Secondary access nodes are beginning to appear in the major cities, and cybercafés are providing Internet access to a broader spectrum of end users.
Mobile phone technology has skyrocketed in Burkina Faso in the last decade, growing from 2,700 subscribers in 1998 to 398,000 in 2004. Mobile phone subscribers now represent 83% of all telephone users in the country. (International Telecommunication Union, 2006). The mobile telephone segment has benefitted from a competitive environment between operators Celtel
, Télécel Faso, and Telmob, which has pushed rates down even as density and coverage area increased.
Telephones – mobile cellular: 1,611,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
International: country code – 226; satellite
earth station – 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast
stations: AM 2, FM 26, shortwave 3 (2007)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (1 national, 2 private) (2007)
Internet Service Provider
s (ISPs): 1 (1999)
Internet hosts: 116 (2008)
Internet users: 80,000 (2006)
Country code
: BF
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
are limited due to the low penetration of electricity, even in major cities. Use of telecommunications is extremely low. According to the International Telecommunication Union
International Telecommunication Union
The International Telecommunication Union is the specialized agency of the United Nations which is responsible for information and communication technologies...
, in 2004 there were only 479,000 telephone subscribers in the country of nearly 11 million people, with .061 main lines per 1000 inhabitants. This number climbs to 42.05 main lines/1000 in Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic center of the nation. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of 1,475,223 . The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga. The inhabitants are called ouagalais...
, but still a very low penetration rate.
The Burkinabé government, in its telecommunications development strategy, has stated its aims to make telecommunications a universal service accessible to all. A large portion of this strategy is the privatization of the National Telecommunications Office (ONATEL), with additional focus on a rural telephony promotion project.
Internet use is also low in the country, with only 40 users per 10,000 inhabitants in 2004, and just over 53,000 users total, according to the International Telecommunication Union. The sector is beginning to improve following installation of a 22 Mbit/s fiber optic international link, a vast improvement over the previous 128 kbit/s link. Secondary access nodes are beginning to appear in the major cities, and cybercafés are providing Internet access to a broader spectrum of end users.
Mobile phone technology has skyrocketed in Burkina Faso in the last decade, growing from 2,700 subscribers in 1998 to 398,000 in 2004. Mobile phone subscribers now represent 83% of all telephone users in the country. (International Telecommunication Union, 2006). The mobile telephone segment has benefitted from a competitive environment between operators Celtel
Celtel
Celtel was a telecommunications company that operated in several African countries. It was founded by Sudanese-born Mo Ibrahim.-History:Originally known as "MSI Cellular Investments", the company began operating in 1998...
, Télécel Faso, and Telmob, which has pushed rates down even as density and coverage area increased.
Usage statistics
Telephones – main lines in use: 94,800 (2006)Telephones – mobile cellular: 1,611,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
- general assessment: services only fair; in 2006 the government sold a 51 percent stake in the national telephone company and ultimately plans to retain only a 23 percent stake in the company; fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage, fostered by multiple providers, is increasing rapidly from a low base
- domestic: microwave radio relay, open wire, and radiotelephone communication stations
International: country code – 226; satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
earth station – 1 Intelsat
Intelsat
Intelsat, Ltd. is a communications satellite services provider.Originally formed as International Telecommunications Satellite Organization , it was—from 1964 to 2001—an intergovernmental consortium owning and managing a constellation of communications satellites providing international broadcast...
(Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
stations: AM 2, FM 26, shortwave 3 (2007)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (1 national, 2 private) (2007)
Internet Service Provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
s (ISPs): 1 (1999)
Internet hosts: 116 (2008)
Internet users: 80,000 (2006)
Country code
Country code
Country codes are short alphabetic or numeric geographical codes developed to represent countries and dependent areas, for use in data processing and communications. Several different systems have been developed to do this. The best known of these is ISO 3166-1...
: BF