Technology trends in Africa and Mid east is expected to jump in 2014 according to international research firm Pyramid Research. IT Web Africa has compiled a list of the top four predictions expected for the region.
1. Increasing Mobile subscriptions
One in every three mobile subscriptions in Africa and the Middle East is forecast to be on 3G or more advanced networks. IT Web Africa says the research firm has outlined that network modernization is expected to continue as the number of LTE subscriptions in the region is expected to grow by 300 percent to surpass 10 million.
2. Mergers and Acquisition (M&A)
M&A activity is expected to intensify in Africa and the Mid east in 2014 as a result of the dominance of pan-regional operators over smaller ones. According to the research firm, small operators in overcrowded African markets cannot sustain competition and are vulnerable to network investments. Therefore, the smaller players could lag behind their larger counterparts.
“Any market in Africa with more than four mobile operators is a candidate for M&A activity. Such markets are mostly found in eastern and central Africa (e.g. DRC, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya) and West Africa (e.g. Ghana, Nigeria),” IT Web Africa quoted the Pyramid report.
3. LTE/4G Growth
As long-term evolution — LTE/4G — broadband services gain traction, Pyramid Research expects five more African countries to launch LTE in 2014. So far African countries that have launched LTE services include Angola, South Africa, Namibia, Mauritius, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria and Zimbabwe.
“In 2014 we expect at least five more countries to be added to the list of markets with commercial LTE broadband services bringing the total to 15 countries with LTE. The most likely candidates for these additions are DRC, Botswana, Rwanda, Zambia and Kenya,” the report read.
4. Netflix coming to Africa
In addition to the rumors that US on-demand internet streaming service Netflix has held talks with South Africa’s fixed line operator Telkom about launching its services in the country, Pyramid Research also believes that the service could launch in Africa in 2014. According to the research report Netflix could launch first in South Africa, Turkey or the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the region.
“We predict Netflix to expand into the Middle East and Africa in 2014, to Turkey, South Africa and/or the UAE, as these countries have the characteristics needed for the Netflix service to flourish,” it is stated in the report.
The report concludes, “We believe that South Africa is on Netflix’s radar not just because of the country’s improving broadband infrastructure and pent-up demand for video content but also because of the ease of deployment there.”
