Mobile Broadband Outpaced Fixed Broadband in Africa As End of 2009

According to recent findings by Dataxis Intelligence, Mobile broadband subscribers in Africa - users of data cards and USB dongles through cellular 3G networks- reached 3.3 million in September 2009 and are expected to break the 4 million milestone in the first quarter of 2010.

In the same time fixed br­oadband subscribers that stood at 3.4 million in September 2009 are forecasted to be around 3.8 million by March 2010, thereby being outpaced by 3G internet usage.

In fact, according to Dataxis, mobile broadband adoption grows 2 times faster than fixed broadband with an average net adds of over 400,000 new subscribers on a quarterly basis. This euphoria is mainly due to the flexibility of the service with both prepaid and postpaid offerings marketed by operators as well as its user-friendly aspects -mobility, top-up to name a few.

Broadband subscribers (million)

	Q109	Q209	Q309	Q409 E	Q1010 E
Mobile	2.41	2.84	3.4	3.8	4.2
Fixed	3	3.2	3.43	3.7	3.9
Total	5.41	6.04	6.83	7.5	8.1