The Tunisian government is considering a collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to facilitate the population’s access to 5G phones. This initiative is part of a strengthening of partnerships between Tunisia and the ITU, a topic at the heart of discussions between Sofiene Hemissi (pictured, center), Minister of Communication Technologies, and Doreen Bogdan-Martin (pictured, right), Secretary-General of the ITU, at the Summit for Action on Artificial Intelligence, held on February 10-11 in Paris.
The collaboration is expected to facilitate the adoption of the country’s recently launched 5G services, which require compatible phones. The Global Association of Mobile Phone Operators (GSMA) said in its report “5G in Africa: Realising the Potential” that cost is a major barrier that could deter consumers from adopting 5G. The organization estimates that 5G-compatible smartphones are now available from $150 from several manufacturers, but this price remains prohibitive for most consumers in Africa, especially if they have to pay for the device in one go.
“While device prices are falling, they remain significantly higher than 2G, 3G and 4G devices. In Africa, 5G adoption will depend on the affordability of devices. While smartphone financing programmes are primarily driven by the private sector, governments and policymakers have a role to play in creating an enabling environment for these initiatives – for example, by allowing operators to offer carrier-locked phones to mitigate the risks associated with device financing,” the GSMA said.
It is not yet clear what concrete measures will be put in place to facilitate the adoption of 5G phones. It is important to remember that the accessibility of 5G smartphones is not the only obstacle to the adoption of this technology. According to the GSMA, the cost of plans is one of the main obstacles to mobile internet. In addition, network coverage can also slow its adoption, as services are generally deployed first in major cities before being gradually extended to the rest of the country.
Source: Agency EcoFin
