NICI Policy
Mozambique held an
International Symposium on its ICT Policy Implementation Strategy from 3 to 5 October
2001. A communiqué on the symposium outlined priority projects in infrastructure,
education, health and establishment of an ICT incubation centre. A policy document was
approved by the Council of Ministers in May 2000. The final version of the policy document
is available at the Information Policy Commission's
web site in Portuguese
and English.
Telecommunications Structure
and Policy
As part of the parastatal reform
programme in Mozambique, the national telecommunications operator was transformed by
Decree No. 23/92 on September 10, 1992, into Telecomunicações de Moçambique (TDM), an independent, publicly-owned business firm responsible for the
provision of public telecommunication services. TDM was restructured to function as a
commercial entity with financial autonomy and responsibility for planning, installing and
operating the national and international network. TDM retains monopolistic control of
basic services, switching and transmission, as well as cellular services.
During the last decade, the number of
telephone lines had doubled, and Mozambique is one of the few countries to allocate
5% of its GDP for the development of the telecommunications sector.
The Instituto Nacional das
Comunicaçoes de Moçambique (INCM), which falls under the Ministry of Transport
and Communications (MTC), was also established in 1992 as the independent regulatory body
of the telecommunications sector. INCM undertakes several responsibilities, including
licensing, spectrum management, formulation and interpretation of sector policy,
international relations, and defining and monitoring compliance with the performance
targets set for TDM.
Complementary and value-added services, as
well as data communications are open to competition subject to licensing by the INCM.
There is no restriction on resale of TDM circuits as long as they are not used for voice
traffic.
A recent development is the formation
of mCel, the first mobile telephone service operated by Telecomunicações
Móveis de Moçambique, LDA (TMM) which uses the GSM (Global System for Mobile
Communications) technology system. TMM is a joint venture between TDM (74%) and DETECON,
Deutsche Telepost Consulting GmbH (26%). mCel started its operation
September 9, 1997, with a testing phase of 1,000 users. Based on initial growth figures, mCel
expected to have more than 5,000 customers in mid-1998. The service is currently
provided in greater Maputo, Xai-Xai city, the road to Rassano Garcia and Namaacha. In the
next phase coverage will be extended to Beira and to northern Mozambique.
Vodacom has announced an international
roaming agreement with mCel. Vodacom subscribers are now able to use their cellphones
on the roads from Komatipoort to Maputo, Maputo to Xai-Xai and Maputo to Swaziland.
Radio communications is used extensively in
Mozambique, mainly by commercial businesses, the United Nations, and NGOs operating
outside of the main towns.
Local manufacture of telecommunications cable
is conducted in Beira by a joint venture between Group VisaBeira and TDM. No
telecommunications equipment is produced in the country, but most major vendors are
represented, and their estimated shares look as follows:
- Transmission equipment: Alcatel 40%,
NEC 20%, Siemens 40%
- Switching Systems: Italtel (GTE) 70%,
Ericsson (ASE10) 30%
- Cable: SIETE (Italy) 80%, Siemens 20%
- PBXs: Alcatel 30%, Siemens 70%
(Source: Acacia
National Strategies: Mozambique)
A joint venture consultancy firm between TDM
and Swedtel called TELEConsultores provides advisory services to the telecommunications
sector. These include:
- Drawing specifications for communications
systems;
- Tendering for the provision of project
management services in the communications and broadcasting areas; and
- Providing human resource development
programmes for the telecommunications sector.
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ICT Networking Development
The civil strife which lasted almost
three decades reduced the economy to a low-level and limited the penetration of
information and communications technologies (ICTs) in the country. Despite the overall
situation, the government recognises the development potential of ICTs, and it has been
discussing the possible formulation of ICT policies following the launching of the African
Information Society Initiative (AISI).
Much of the networking activities in
Mozambique have been focused around the key ICT organisation in the country, Centre
Informatica at the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (CIUEM).
CIUEM is one of several centres attached to the only major University in Mozambique,
although small Catholic universities have recently been established in Beira and Nampula.
The Centre has been receiving support since 1987 from the Dutch government in the form of
staffing, funds for training, and technical and scientific assistance.
The World Bank, the Portuguese National
Institute of Administration, the British Council and the London School of Economics have
also provided support for training. CIUEM has developed partnerships with the
Manchester Metropolitan University on distance education for staff members, with
the University of Dar es Salaam which is establishing a similar centre, with the
University of Durban for staff exchanges and visits, with the University of Pretoria
on computer-based learning, and with the South African Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR) on distance education, training and supporting technologies.
With the support of the World Bank, CIUEM
installed a VSAT with a 384 Kbps link to Washington to activate its distance training
facility. The CIUEM and Televisao de Moçambique (TVM) will share the infrastructure for
distance education.
CIUEM has entered agreements with a number
of computer companies such as HP, Sun, Digital and Tulip for the provision of
maintenance guarantees.
Within the University, CIUEM was
responsible for developing an information policy and for establishing the University's LAN
which provides e-mail services in Maputo and Internet Access on campus. Until
September 1997, the Center has been the only source of low-cost Internet e-mail access in
the country. The service is not restricted to the academic community as most of its
2,000+ users are NGOs, businesses, government and members of the international community.
Connecting to the South African academic network, UniNet, the Center recently upgraded
from a 9.6 Kbps leased line link with the University of Durban to a 64 Kbps VSAT link with
the University of Witwatersrand, via PanamSat to Transtel's earth station in Johannesburg.
Shortly, this link will be switched to a direct connection to the US. (Source:
African
Internet Connectivity.)
CIUEM is currently finalising an agreement
with CSIR to provide two technical Internet training workshops (one in Pretoria and one in
Maputo) and to establish a hub for line-of-site broadband (2Mbps) wireless data
communications. The National Institute for Education Development will be one of the
organisations linked via the hub, which in turn will establish an Internet connection in
one of the Maputo schools to demonstrate the potential of Internet connectivity. CIUEM is
also working at the community level to set up a Cyber cafe which could be linked by the
wireless hub.
Besides CIUEM, Teledata, a joint venture
between TDM and Marconi Portugal (Telecom of Portugal), has been a major provider of
national and international connectivity in Mozambique through its X.25 PSDN service. Apart
from Maputo, the service has now been expanded to two other major cities Beira and
Nampula. Teledata's Internet service has recently become available, and the number
of lines is being increased from 8 to 16.
With the assistance of the USAID’s
Leland Initiative in May 1997, Telecomunicações de Moçambique (TDM) has installed in
May 1997 a gateway Node that provides direct link to the international Internet network
via a VSAT antenna with 192 Kbps of spacial segment. The Internet service was deregulated
and presently five Internet Service
Providers (ISPs) are connected to the gateway through leased lines at 64 and
128 Kbps. These are Virtual
Connection, Computer Solutions, MicroNet-Tropical Alliance,
EMIL and GARP.
The UNDP's Sustainable Development Network
Program (SDNP) based in the Ministry for Co-ordination of Environmental Affairs (MICOA)
supports connectivity among agencies involved in sustainable development. IDRC is
supporting the development of a business plan for Beira project SDNP node. MICOA is also
installing a LAN at its main offices in Maputo and collaborating with the Ford Foundation
and IDRC for a project to provide connectivity to two remote natural resources management
programmes in Tete and Manica provinces.
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ICT Partners and Projects
Acacia strategy programme - Mozambique
(Year one
report on Acacia activities)
Mozambique was one of the four
countries selected by the International Development Research Center (IDRC) for support
within its Acacia
Initiative Programme. The latter is an international
effort led by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to empower Sub-saharan
African communities with the ability to apply information and communication technologies
to their own social and economic development. Initially, Acacia will be rooted most deeply
in Mozambique, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda.
The Mozambique Acacia National Strategy was
initiated in February 1997 at a multi-stakeholder workshop entitled "Towards an
Information Society" held in Maputo, and co-sponsored by the World Bank. A Memorandum
of Understanding setting out the broad parameters of the Acacia program in Mozambique was
signed during the Global Knowledge 97 Conference in Toronto in June. The main donor
partners are the Ford Foundation, IBRD, UNDP and the Dutch. Six activities have been
approved by the end of the fiscal year:
- Establishing two pilot telecentres in
Mozambique as a feasibility study;
- Developing a business plan for the
establishment of sustainable Internet service provision in Beira;
- Appointing the Mozambique Acacia Advisory
Committee Secretariat;
- Formulating an information and communication
policy;
- Introducing ICTs in secondary schools and
teacher training colleges; and
- Desiging a connectivity strategy for natural
resource management in Tete and Manhica.
The Mozambique Acacia Advisory Committee
(MAAC) is composed of a wide range of organisations, including TDM, UEM, ministries in the
areas in which Acacia projects are under development, NGOs, the private sector, local and
provincial governments, mass media, etc. The Steering Committee takes responsibility
for identifying and recommending projects in the areas stated in the Memorandum of
Understanding: information policy, education, school networking and teacher training,
environmental management, and telecentres. The need to address gender issues in all
Mozambique Acacia projects is recognised.
Telecentre Project
A telecentre project funded by IDRC is
underway in Mozambique. This project is designed to assess the telecentre approach in two
small communities, Namaacha and Manhica, both of which
are about an hour drive from Maputo. The introduction of telecentres in rural areas is
considered to be a means of accelerating rural development and reducing imbalances between
city and countryside. The specific objectives of the project include:
- establishing two telecentres which provide
access to telephone, fax, e-mail, Internet, computer use, printing and copying facilities;
- training clients in computer use, with
priority given to teachers and students from upper secondary schools, representatives of
civil society, and women and men from marginalised groups;
- providing support for telecentre management
over a four-year period, with progressive emphasis on sustainability;
- measuring the quality and relevance of the
services provided;
- evaluating the telecentres impact within the
target groups (the education sector, local administration, civil society bodies,
economic agents) and in the community in general;
- testing equipment, systems, programs and other
material from the user's point of view and for quality and durability;
- creating a body of Web content that meets the
needs of users.
Further information on the status
of the project can be found at Bellanet GK-AIMS web page.
Telemedecine (Telemedicine project in
Mozambique)
The Telecommunication Development Bureau
(TDB) of the International Telecommunication Union has launched its first Telemedicine
project in Mozambique. Telemedicine refers to the provision of medical services and health
care via existing telecommunications-based systems (terrestrial and satellites links). The
range of services include medical consultation, pathology diagnosis, education and
emergency services. Two central hospitals, one in Maputo (the capital city of Mozambique
with a population over 1.1 million), and one in Beira (with a population of 0.32 million),
have been connected by a telemedicine link using the existing telecommunication
infrastructure. Both hospitals will now be able to make use of standard low-cost
teleradiology equipment that makes possible the exchange of images including radiographs,
as well as the transmission of laboratory results. The project has been carried out by a
multidisciplinary group of partners including Telecomunicações de Moçambique (TDM) and
the telemedicine equipment vendor WDS Technologies of Switzerland.
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