Family daily--2006 Asia-Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

    monopoly telco, has invested considerable effort to ensure that there is now full and effective telephone service covering the whole country. As well as operating the fixed-line network, the company also operates a mobile service and is an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Dhiraagu's monopoly was officially set to run out in 2008, but the government was keen to open up the market earlier than that and this was starting to happen progressively. The licensing of a second ISP in 2002 signalled that the government was already moving on its plans to open up the market ahead of time. Dhiraagu has responded by increasing its product range and improving its customer service. Then, in 2004, a second mobile licence was issued, again resulting in the incumbent moving quickly and aggressively to increase its presence in that sector of the market.

    Pakistan After a period in which the country slowly transitioned from a regulated state-owned monopoly to a comparatively deregulated competitive structure, Pakistan's telecom sector had finally begun moving and looked set for an era of phenomenal growth. Fixed-line penetration stood at a low 4% (5.9 million lines) in early 2006, with plenty of room for further expansion. The government is continuing to pursue its targeted national teledensity of 7% (around 10 million lines) by 2010. To achieve this target, around 1 million additional lines need to be installed every year. In the meantime, Pakistan's mobile sector, which had started to grow strongly over the last few years, continued its rapid expansion. After growing by almost 170% in 2005, the mobile subscriber base had reached 22 million (14% penetration) in early 2006.

    The government's reform plans were being progressively implemented and this is certainly starting to have some impact on the market. The country's four mobile operators have been joined by two new operators-Warid Telecom and Telenor Pakistan-following a decision by the government to issue two additional mobile licences. By end-2005, after less than 12 months operation, Telenor had 1,870,000 subscribers and Warid Telecom claimed 2,070,000. An important aspect of reforming the telecom sector was the privatisation of PTCL (Pakistan Telecom). In June 2005, the UAE operator, Etisalat, submitted the highest bid of US$2.6 billion for a 26% stake in PTCL. Despite lodging the winning bid, the acquisition took a further six months to complete after a dispute over payment terms arose almost jeopardising the sale.

    Sri Lanka has been demonstrating considerable determination in its efforts to develop the country, this despite its ongoing political problems. With a modern progressive telecommunications sector high on the list, the sector looks to be well positioned for vigorous growth. The country's fixed-line teledensity was approaching 6% and mobile penetration was over 17% in early 2006, with annual growth of the mobile sector running in excess of 50%. The strong growth looks very much like it was set to continue. There are a range of major initiatives being put in place that are set to give a boost to the building of national infrastructure and open the market to even more competition. Sri Lanka Telecom progressively losing its monopoly on a range of services has led the way as the market is made more interesting for new players. It is well recognised by the government that for economic well-being the country needs the ready availability of Internet, e-finance, e-commerce and all the other communications facilities products that play an important role in global commercial activity.

1. AFGHANISTAN

1.1          Key statistics
1.2          Telecommunications market
1.2.1       Overview
1.3          Regulatory environment
1.4          Fixed network operators in Afghanistan
1.4.1       Afghan Wireless Communications Co (AWCC)
1.4.2       Afghan Telecom
1.5          Telecommunications infrastructure
1.5.1       Overview
1.5.2       Infrastructure projects
1.6          Internet market
1.6.1       Market overview
1.6.2       Internet cafes
1.6.3       Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
1.6.4       Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
1.7          Mobile communications
1.7.1       Market Overview
1.7.2       Mobile operators
1.7.3       New mobile licences
1.7.4       Satellite mobile
1.8          Broadcasting market
1.8.1       Overview
1.8.2       National broadcaster
1.8.3       Badakhshan TV
1.8.4        Herat TV
1.8.5       Satellite TV
1.8.6        Afghan TV
1.8.7        Cable TV
1.8.8        Radio Free Afghanistan
1.8.9        Voice of Afghanistan

2. BANGLADESH

2.1           Key statistics
2.2           Telecommunications market
2.2.1        Overview
2.3           Regulatory environment
2.3.1        Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC)
2.3.2        Telecommunications Law
2.3.3        The National Telecommunications Policy of 1998 (NTP-98)
2.3.4        Telecommunications Act 2001
2.3.5        The Communications Convergence Bill 2001
2.3.6        Privatisation and liberalisation
2.3.7        Tariffs
2.3.8         Regulatory developments
2.4            Fixed network operators in Bangladesh
2.4.1         Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board
2.4.2         Bangladesh Rural Telecommunications Authority (BRTA)
2.4.3         Sheba Telecom
2.4.4         WorldTel
2.4.5         Basundhara Communications Network Limited (BCNL)
2.4.6         Other licensees
2.5             Telecommunications infrastructure
2.5.1          National telecom network
2.5.2          International infrastructure
2.6             Data market
2.6.1          Data infrastructure and services
2.7             Internet market
2.7.1          Overview
2.7.2          MediNet
2.7.3           Village Computer and Internet Program
2.7.4           ISP market
2.7.5           IT development strategy
2.7.6           Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
2.8              Broadband market
2.8.1           Broadband services
2.8.2           Internet via satellite
2.9              Content and e-services
2.9.1           E-commerce
2.10            Mobile communications
2.10.1         Market overview
2.10.2         Interconnection issues
2.10.3         Mobile operators
2.10.4         Mobile services
2.11            Broadcasting market
2.11.1         Overview
2.11.2         Free to air broadcasting
2.11.3         Cable and satellite TV

3. MALDIVES

3.1              Key statistics
3.2              Telecommunications market
3.2.1          Overview
3.3              Regulatory environment
3.3.1          The regulator
3.3.2          Master Plan for Telecommunications
3.3.3          Liberalisation
3.3.4          Telecommunications Regulation 2003
3.3.5          Tariffs
3.4             Telecommunications infrastructure
3.4.1          Domestic
3.4.2          International
3.5             Fixed network voice services
3.6             Data market
3.6.1          Maldives Government Network
3.7             Internet market
3.7.1          Overview market
3.7.2          Liberalisation
3.8             Mobile communications
3.8.1          Market overview
3.8.2         Second mobile licence
3.9            Broadcasting market

4. PAKISTAN

4.1            Key statistics
4.2            Telecommunications market
4.2.1         Overview
4.2.2         Earthquake-October 2005
4.3            Regulatory environment
4.3.1         Overview
4.3.2         Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT)
4.3.3         Pakistan Telecommunication Authority
4.3.4         Telecom sector liberalisation
4.3.5         Privatisation of PTCL
4.3.6         National numbering scheme
4.3.7         Number portability
4.3.8         Universal Service Obligation (USO)
4.3.9         Grey market' traffic
4.4            Fixed Network Operators in Pakistan
4.4.1         Major fixed-line players
4.5            Fixed network voice services
4.5.1         International voice traffic
4.5.2         International prepaid calling card services
4.5.3         Value-added voice services
4.6            Telecommunications infrastructure
4.6.1         National telecom network
4.6.2         International infrastructure
4.6.3         Submarine cable networks
4.6.4         Infrastructure developments
4.7            Data market
4.7.1         Data infrastructure
4.7.2         Data services
4.8            Internet market
4.8.1         Overview
4.8.2         ISP market
4.9            Broadband market
4.9.1         Cable modems
4.9.2         Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
4.9.3         Internet via satellite
4.10          E-services
4.10.1       E-commerce
4.10.2       E-government
4.11          Mobile communications
4.11.1       Market overview
4.11.2       Competitive market
4.11.3       Single access number
4.11.4       Calling Party Pays
4.11.5       Major mobile operators
4.11.6       Mobile services
4.11.7       Satellite mobile
4.12          Broadcasting market
4.12.1       Market overview
4.12.2       Regulatory issues
4.12.3       Free-to-air broadcasting
4.12.4       Pay TV
4.12.5       Cable TV

5. SRI LANKA

5.1          Key statistics
5.2          Telecommunications market
5.2.1       Overview
5.2.2       Tsunami disaster
5.3          Regulatory environment
5.3.1       Deregulation
5.3.2       Privatisation
5.3.3       Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC)
5.3.4       The National Policy on Telecommunications 1998
5.3.5       National Telecommunications Policy 2001-2005
5.3.6       Calling Party Pays
5.4          Fixed Network Operators in Sri Lanka
5.4.1       Overview of operators
5.4.2       Sri Lanka Telecom
5.4.3       Suntel
5.4.4       Lanka Bell
5.4.5       Lanka Internet & Tritel services
5.5          Telecommunications infrastructure
5.5.1       National telecom network
5.5.2       International infrastructure
5.5.3       Telecom City Project
5.6          Data market
5.6.1       Overview
5.6.2       Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)
5.7          Internet market
5.7.1       Overview of the Internet in Sri Lanka
5.7.2       Internet exchange
5.7.3       Public Internet access
5.7.4       Data Centres
5.7.5       ISP market
5.7.6       E-commerce
5.8          Broadband market
5.8.1       Market overview
5.8.2       Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)
5.9          Mobile communications
5.9.1       Overview of Sri Lanka's mobile market
5.9.2       Major mobile operators
5.9.3       Third Generation (3G) mobile
5.9.4       Satellite mobile
5.10        Broadcasting market
5.10.1     Market overview
5.10.2     Regulatory environment
5.10.3     Free to air TV
5.10.4     Cable and pay TV

6. GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS

Exhibit 1     Internet Service Providers licences-2005
Exhibit 2     Mobile operators in Bangladesh¨C March 2006
Exhibit 3     Long Distance International (LDI) licensees-2005
Exhibit 4     Local Loop (LL) licensees-2005
Exhibit 5     PTCL subsidiary companies
Exhibit 6     Joint ventures and affiliated companies
Exhibit 7     Telecommunications system operator licensees
Exhibit 8     External Gateway Operator (EGO) licenses

Table 1       Mobile subscriber growth-2003-2006
Table 2       Country statistics Afghanistan-2005
Table 3       Telephone network statistics-2005
Table 4       Internet statistics-2005
Table 5       Mobile statistics-2005
Table 6       National telecommunications authorities
Table 7       Fixed-line subscriber growth and teledensity-1994-2005
Table 8       Distribution of telephone lines-2002
Table 9       Fixed lines installed-2002-2005
Table 10     Mobile subscriber growth and annual growth-2002-2005
Table 11     Key broadcasting statistics-2004
Table 12     Country statistics Bangladesh-2005
Table 13     Telephone network statistics-2005
Table 14     Internet provider statistics-2005
Table 15     Internet user statistics-2005
Table 16     Mobile statistics-September 2005
Table 17     National telecommunications authorities
Table 18     Fixed telephone line targets and teledensity-2010; 2025
Table 19     Fixed-line growth and teledensity-1995-2005
Table 20     Internet users and ISPs-1996-2005
Table 21     Internet host computers-2001-2004
Table 22     Mobile subscribers by operator-September 2005
Table 23     Mobile subscriber growth-1996-2006
Table 24     Market share by operator-September 2005
Table 25     Pacific Bangladesh subscribers-1999-2005
Table 26     GrameenPhone subscribers-1998-2005
Table 27     Sheba Telecom subscribers-2002-2005
Table 28     Key broadcasting statistics-2005
Table 29     Cable TV subscribers-2002-2005
Table 30     Country statistics Maldives-2005
Table 31     Telephone network statistics-200
Table 32     Internet provider statistics-2005
Table 33     Internet user statistics-2005
Table 34     Broadband statistics-2004
Table 35     Mobile statistics-2005
Table 36     National telecommunications authorities
Table 37     Fixed lines in service and teledensity-1995-2005
Table 38     Fixed line subscribers-2004
Table 39     Internet users-1996-2005
Table 40     Internet host computers-1996-2005
Table 41     Internet access-2004
Table 42     Mobile subscriber growth-1998-2005
Table 43     Post-paid and prepaid-2004
Table 44     Key broadcasting statistics-2004
Table 45     Country statistics Pakistan-2005
Table 46     Telephone network statistics-2005
Table 47     Internet provider statistics-2005
Table 48     Internet user statistics-2005
Table 49     Mobile statistics-2005
Table 50     National telecommunications authorities
Table 51     Fixed licences issued by PTA-March 2005
Table 52     Growth in Public Call Offices-1999-2005
Table 53     Fixed lines in service and teledensity-1991-2005
Table 54     WLL operator market share-2005
Table 55     Internet users-1995-2005
Table 56     Internet host computers-1995-2005
Table 57     Mobile subscribers by operator-2005
Table 58     Mobile subscriber growth-1995-2005
Table 59     Mobile operator market share-2001-2005
Table 60     Mobile services revenue-1998-2005
Table 61     Key broadcasting statistics-2004
Table 62     Cable TV licence categories
Table 63     Country statistics Sri Lanka-2005
Table 64     Telephone network statistics-September 2005
Table 65     Internet provider statistics-2005
Table 66     Internet user statistics-2005
Table 67     Mobile statistics-September 2005
Table 68     National telecommunications authorities
Table 69     National network status-September 2005
Table 70     SLT subscribers-1999-2005
Table 71     Suntel subscribers-1999-2005
Table 72     Lanka Bell subscribers-1999-2005
Table 73     Fixed lines in service and teledensity-1995-2005
Table 74     WLL subscribers-1996-2005
Table 75     Internet users-1996-2005
Table 76     Internet subscribers-1996-2005
Table 77     Internet host computers-1996-2004
Table 78     Mobile subscriber growth-1995-2005
Table 79     Mobile subscribers by operator including annual growth-2004
Table 80     Key broadcasting statistics-2005