Gamtel is both the regulator and supplier of basic telecommunications
services in the Gambia. Gamtel was established in 1984 as a commercial entity owned by the
Government (99%) and the Gambia National Insurance Company (1%).
Teledensity:
- Total: 2.30
(1999)
- Largest cities:
8.13 (1999)
- Rest of the country:
0.98 (1999)
Digital main lines: 100%
(1999)
Waiting list for a telephone
line:
- Total: 16,900
(1999)
- Average waiting time:
6.4 years (1999)
- Total demand (k):
46.1 (1999)
- Satisfied demand (%):
63.4 (1999)
Telephone Tariff:
| PSTN connection charge -
residential |
US$ 70.00 |
| PSTN connection charge -
business |
US$ 70.00 |
| Monthly subscription
charge - residential |
US$ 2.60 |
| Monthly subscription
charge - business |
US$ 3.10 |
| PSTN three minute local
call |
US$ 0.30 |
Source:
World Telecommunication Indicators , 2000/2001
Public telephones: 680
(1999)
Public telephones per 1000
inhabitants: 0.53 (1999)
Mobile cellular subscribers:
5,300 (1999)
Gamcel is the
cellular telephony network operated by the national telecom, Gamtel,
using ETACS system.
Cellular subscribers as a %
of total telephone subscribers: 15.40 (1999)
Paging services:
Gamtel has made
available to its subscribers paging and voice-mail boxes services.
Pager line rental: Dalasis
20 (US$ 1.70) per month
Voice-mail box rental:
Dalasis 20 (US$ 1.70) per month
Mobile cellular tariffs (1999):
| Connection
charge |
US$
10.00 |
| Monthly
subscription |
US$ 8.8 |
| Three minute
local call |
US$ 0.26 |
Source:
World Telecommunication Indicators , 2000/2001
Telecommunications revenue (M
US$): 26.3 (1999)
Telecommunications investment (M
US$): 12.4 (1999)
Telecommunications investment as
a % of revenue: 47.1 (1999)
Telecom equipment exports (M
US$): na
Telecom equipment imports (M
US$): 6.4 (1999)
Telecentres: Gamtel has set
up 233 privately running telecentres.
Facsimiles: 1,100
(1998)
As part of a
joint project with the UNDP's Internet Initiative Project for Africa, Gamtel's Data
Communications Services Unit participated in 1996 in the design of an Internet backbone
for The Gambia. The project was awarded to Cable and Wireless OMNES, and
completed in August 1998. The gateway is a complete
satellite system from Gamtel's Satellite station in Abuko, The Gambia, to Teleglobe
in Canada. Internet Service Providers
are making use of this gateway to provide services to their users.
HealthNet Gambia: This network was the first operational network in The Gambia and
was set up in November 1993 by Satelife, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United
States. It aims to link health researchers and development workers in through cheap
electronic communication. At first communication was by satellite, but now it is done by
telephone polling twice a day. SatelLife pays all phone bills and even subsidizes the cost
of modems. The node is managed by volunteers. There are now about 30 points connected
to the node and about 100 users.
GEISnet:
This network, Fidonet link via London, was set
up in mid-1995 for the Gambia Environmental Agency. Six points were connected to the node.
GamNet:
This is the only commercial network in The Gambia operated by the national telecom,
Gamtel. It is linked to CompuServe facility using its X.25 network. It has currently over
160 subscribers.
Gambia Radio and Television
Services (GRTS) is the national broadcasting institution operating under Gamtel.
Radios per
100 inhabitants: 16.4 (1995)
Television
receivers per 100 inhabitants: 0.30 (1999)
Pay TV
decoders: na
Cable TV
subscribers: na
Home
satellite dishes/antennas: na
