CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 11, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The CDMA Development Group (CDG) today announced that Africa and the Middle East are the fastest growing in terms of the number of 3G CDMA networks and subscribers, with 65 operators in 38 countries who have selected the technology to provide affordable telecommunications services and more than 12 million subscribers in the region. Of the list of operators, Algeria Telecom, Movicel in Angola, Starcomms of Nigeria, Sudatel, Wana in Morocco and Yemen Mobile all surpassed the one million CDMA subscriber mark in the past year. These milestones underscore how quickly CDMA2000(r) is becoming the technology of choice for emerging markets.
The CDG, with the Africa CDMA Forum (ACF) and the International 450 Association (IA 450) is hosting the "Path to Profit: 3G CDMA Middle East and Africa Regional Conference" in Cape Town, South Africa, March 12-14. The conference will examine the progress of 3G CDMA2000 both in the region and worldwide -- as well as new global roaming initiatives, EV-DO Revision A (Rev. A) deployments, carrier success stories, opportunities for CDMA450, next-generation mobile broadband technologies, and availability of ultra low-cost handsets. At the conference, the CDG, along with operators that have surpassed the one million CDMA subscriber milestone, will participate in a press briefing to discuss how CDMA2000 has contributed to their success.
"The CDG is pleased to see the continued rapid expansion of CDMA2000 across Africa and the Middle East," said James Person, chief operating officer of the CDG. "CDMA2000's voice clarity, broadband power, lower total cost of network ownership and ultra low-cost handsets make it ideal for citizens and businesses of emerging market economies that want high-quality and affordable wireless telecommunications services."
CDMA2000 is an ideal solution to meet the growing demand for affordable fixed and mobile telecommunication services in developing markets. It enables operators to provide cost-effective voice and broadband access to the Internet and a broad range of value-added data services for consumers, government, education and enterprise users in both urban and rural areas. The technology's superior spectral efficiency and the availability of ultra low-cost handsets have enabled CDMA2000 to become the most economical choice for delivering 3G services in emerging markets. Studies have shown that CDMA2000 is more economical than 2G in the long run, offering up to a 23 percent cost savings.
Offering high-speed broadband access using EV-DO has become an important differentiator and revenue opportunity for many Middle Eastern and African service providers. Of the 65 operators in the region, more than half of them will offer wireless broadband services by the end of the year -- enabling average user data speeds of around 1 megabit per second in both directions. Five operators have already deployed EV-DO Rev. A commercially and another twelve are in the process of rolling it out. Rev. A support peak data rates up to 3.1 Mbps in the downlink and 1.8 Mbps in the uplink.
The following operators in the Middle East and Africa have deployed or will deploy CDMA2000:
Country Operator Network
1 Algeria Algerie Telecom 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rev. A (To
Launch)
2 Algeria Consortium Algerian de 1X (Commercial)
Telecommunications (CAT) EV-DO (To
Launch)
3 Angola Angola Telecom 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rev. A (To
Launch)
4 Angola Movicel Telecomunicacoes 1X (Commercial)
Lda. EV-DO Rev. A (To
Launch)
5 Angola Mundo Startel 1X (To Launch)
EV-DO (To
Launch)
6 Benin Bell Benin Communications 1X (To Launch)
(BBCOM)
7 Botswana Botswana 1X (Trial)
Telecommunications Corp
(BTC)
8 Cameroon CAMTEL (CT Phone) 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO (To
Launch)
9 Cote Arobase Telecom S.A. 1X (Commercial)
d'lvoire EV-DO Rel. 0
(Commercial)
EV-DO Rev. A (To
Launch)
10 Cote Cote d'loivre Telecom 1X (Commercial)
d'lvoire
11 Dem. Rep. of Tatem Telecom 1X (Commercial)
Congo EV-DO Rev. A
(Commercial)
12 Djibouti Djibouti Telecom 1X (To Launch)
13 Egypt Telecom Egypt 1X (Commercial)
14 Ethiopia Ethiopian 1X (Commercial)
Telecommunications
Corporation (ETC)
15 Gambia Gambia Telecommunications 1X (Commercial)
Company Limited EV-DO Rev. A (To
Launch)
16 Ghana Kasapa Telecom Ltd. 1X (Commercial)
17 Iraq Itisaluna Abr Al Iraq 1X (To Launch)
EV-DO Rev. A (To
Launch)
18 Iraq Kalimat Telecom 1X (To Launch)
EV-DO (To
Launch)
19 Iraq Moutiny Wireless 1X (Commercial)
Telecommunications
20 Israel Pelephone Communications 1X (Commercial)
Ltd. EV-DO Rel. 0
(Commercial)
21 Kenya E.M. Communications Ltd. 1X (Commercial)
22 Kenya Flashcom Ltd. 1X (Commercial)
23 Kenya Telkom Kenya Ltd. 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rev. A (To
Launch)
24 Kuwait Ministry of 1X (Commercial)
Communications, Kuwait
25 Libya Libyan General Posts & 1X (To Launch)
Telecommunications (GPTC) EV-DO (To
Launch)
26 Madagascar Telecom Malagasy SA. 1X (To Launch)
(Telma) EV-DO (To
Launch)
27 Mali Sotelma 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rel. 0
(Commercial)
28 Mauritania Chinguitel S.A. 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rel. 0
(Commercial)
29 Mauritania Mauritel 1X (Commercial)
30 Morocco Wana 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rel. 0
(Commercial)
EV-DO Rev. A
(Commercial)
31 Mozambique Telecomunicacoes de 1X (Commercial)
Mozambique
32 Namibia Telecom Namibia 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO (To
Launch)
33 Niger Sonitel 1X (Commercial)
34 Nigeria Bourdex Telecom 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rel. 0
(Commercial)
35 Nigeria Cell Communications Ltd. 1X (Commercial)
36 Nigeria Independent Telephone 1X (Commercial)
Network Ltd.
37 Nigeria Intercellular Nigeria Ltd. 1X (Commercial)
38 Nigeria MTS First Wireless Ltd. 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rev. A (To
Launch)
39 Nigeria Multi-Links 1X (Commercial)
Telecommunications Ltd.
40 Nigeria Nigerian 1X (Commercial)
Telecommunications Ltd. EV-DO (To
(Nitel) Launch)
41 Nigeria Oud'a Tel 1X (Commercial)
42 Nigeria Prestel 1X (Commercial)
43 Nigeria Rainbownet Ltd. 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO (To
Launch)
44 Nigeria Reliance 1X (Commercial)
Telecommunications Ltd.
45 Nigeria Starcomms Ltd. 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rel. 0
(Commercial)
EV-DO Rev. A
(Commercial)
46 Nigeria Visafone 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rev. A
(Commercial)
47 Oman Oman Telecommunications 1X (Commercial)
Company EV-DO (To
Launch)
48 Rwanda Terracom 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rel. 0
(Commercial)
49 Saudi Arabia Saudi Telecom Company 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rev. A (To
Launch)
50 South Africa Neotel 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rev. A (To
Launch)
51 Syria Syrian Telecommunications 1X (Commercial)
Establishment
52 Sierra Leone Datatel 1X (To Launch)
53 Sudan Canar Telecom 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rel. 0
(Commercial)
54 Sudan Mobitel Sudan 1X (Commercial)
55 Sudan Sudatel 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rev. A
(Commercial)
56 Tanzania Benson Informatics Ltd. 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO Rev. A (To
Launch)
57 Tanzania MyCell Company Ltd. 1X (To Launch)
EV-DO Rev. A (To
Launch)
58 Tanzania Tanzania 1X (Commercial)
Telecommunications Company EV-DO (To
Ltd. (TTCL) Launch)
59 Tanzania Zanzibar Telecom Ltd. 1X (Commercial)
(ZANTEL) EV-DO Rel. 0
(Commercial)
60 Togo Togo Telecom 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO (To Launch)
61 Tunisia Telecom Tunisia 1X (Commercial)
62 Uganda MTN Uganda Ltd. 1X (Commercial)
63 Uganda Uganda Telecom Ltd. 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO (To Launch)
64 Yemen Yemen Mobile 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO (To Launch)
65 Zambia ZAMTEL 1X (Commercial)
EV-DO (To Launch)
More information on CDMA is available at www.cdg.org.
About CDMA2000
CDMA2000 is the most widely deployed 3G technology, with 252 operators in 99 countries, including 88 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO systems, serving more than 417 million subscribers. Counting 2G cdmaOne(tm) subscribers, there are more than 431 million CDMA users worldwide. CDMA2000 has become the technology of choice for developed and emerging market operators, and is deployable in the 450, 700, 800, 1700, 1900 and 2100 MHz bands. More than 1,950 CDMA2000 devices from 107 suppliers have been introduced to the market, including more than 492 EV-DO and 43 Rev. A devices. More information on CDMA2000 is available on the CDG Web site at www.cdg.org.
About CDG
The CDMA Development Group is a trade association formed to foster the worldwide development, implementation and use of CDMA2000 technologies. The more than 130 member companies of the CDG include many of the world's largest wireless carriers and equipment manufacturers. The primary activities of the CDG include development of CDMA2000 features and services, public relations, education and seminars, regulatory affairs and international support. Currently, there are more than 500 individuals working within various CDG subcommittees on CDMA2000-related matters. For more information about the CDG, contact the CDG News Bureau at +1-714-540-1030, or visit the CDG Web site at www.cdg.org.
The CDG logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2911
Note to editors
cdmaOne is a registered trademark of the CDMA Development Group. CDMA2000 is a registered trademark of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA-USA). All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.