Responsible
ministry: Ministère des
Communications
Telecommunication
operator: Office National des Télécommunications (also known as Tunisie Télécom)
is the sole supplier of telecommunication services in the country. It is also the main
share owner of Tunicell, the mobile wireless/cellular operator in Tunisia.
Telecommunication
regulator: Currently there is no independent regulator in Tunisia; however, the
process of separation of operational and regulatory activities has begun with the
government’s 1997-2001 telecommunication plan. The process involves structural
adjustment and separation of responsibilities into Tunisia Telecom as the public network
operator and CERT (Telecommunication Study and Research Centre) as the regulator.
The Government of
Tunisia has recognized the importance of telecommunication network for socio-economic
development. The public telecommunication operator, Tunisie Télécom, has been given a
wide range of responsibilities for the development of an advanced and pervasive network
throughout the country.
On the wireless
front, Tunicell has began the implementation of GSM-based (Global System for Mobile
Wireless) network with an initial capacity of 30,000 subscribers by the start of 1997 (the
current capacity is 48,000). The French telecommunication giant, Alcatel, is currently
partnering with Tunisie Télécom on a project worth US$20 million which will expand the
GSM network infrastructure. The network will serve Bizerte in the North and Jerba in the
South. The total capacity of the new network will be in the neighbourhood of additional
35,000 subscribers; nonetheless, Tunicell wants to increase this capacity to 100,000
before the millennium.
Investments in the
telecommunications sector have almost quadrupled during the last ten years. In 1987, the
amount of government expenditures totaled 400 million dinars; in 1999, 1.5 billion dinars
(roughly the same in US dollars) are earmarked for telecommunications investments. The
investments, totaling 4% of all domestic fixed investments, will be directed as follow:
- Extension and modernization of the
national network which include increasing digitization of the network through optical
fibre cables, SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) and Signaling System No. 7;
- Promotion of international
telecommunications to unlock the national economy;
- Development of new services and
promotion of value added services;
- Initiate the separation of
regulatory and network operators through restructuring and adjustment of the institutional
environment. The process is now underway to separate Tunisie Télécom from the regulatory
structure which will eventually be assigned to CERT (Centre des études et des recherches
de télécommunication);
- Development and promotion of
international partnerships through technology transfer, implementation of productivity
standard, and stimulating exchanges;
- Exploration of participation in
Africa One and TransMaghreb cable projects with the view of turning Tunisia into a hub and
a platform for regional and international telecommunication.
Back
to Top
The Agence Tunisienne de
l’Internet (ATI), the Tunisie Télécom, the Institut
de recherche scientifique en informatique et télécommunication and the Centre
des études et des recherches de telecommunication (CERT) are the leading
organisation in ICT development and networking in the country.
The Tunisian
Government also paid special attention to electronic commerce, hence a National Commission
for Electronic Commerce (CNCE) was set up in November 1997. This commission, made up of
several working groups, was given the task of setting up electronic commerce strategy and
infrastructure in Tunisia. Two reports that include the Commission's recommendations were
submitted to the government in March 1998 and in November 1998. Following the
recommendations, six pilot projects were launched and put into operation in May 1999. The
projects are a set of virtual stores offering a wide range of Tunisian products, such as
crafts, goods, clothing, foodstuffs, tourism packages, hotel reservations, etc. The pilot
project Web site is located at: http://www.ecom.tn
Finally, a
national strategy intervention has been developed to ameliorate the Y2K problem. For more
information on this national initiative: http://www.an2000.tn.
