GSM operators

Among the five operators, only four are present in the mobile telecommunications market before 2008. The last in the race, Glo Mobile has recently launched the business on its network. The first four GSM operators offer consumers in addition to voice services and voice messaging written and service roaming. This last service allows to be reachable and to communicate around the world from the same local number.

 Table: Evolution of mobile telephony park in Benin

	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Libercom	68 500	68 407	73 870	75 000	84 279	196 163	194 888
MOOV	59 746	108 766	135 993	175 000	272 106	654 680	950 584
MTN	76 000	139 216	155 000	225 000	450 000	753 491	1 138 437
Bell Benin	0	7000	25 000	45 000	172 000	300 000	443 550
GLO MOBILE	0	0	0	0	0	0	560 090
Telecom Park	204 246	323 389	389 863	520 000	978 385	1 904 334	3 287 549
Annual trend (%)	---------	58.33	20.55	33.38	88.15	94.64	72.64

Source: GSM operators

 At 30 November 2008, the number of mobile cellular subscribers in Benin has reached 3,277,549 customers (see table above). The boom of mobile phones has led to record a telephone penetration (fixed + mobile) of 39.42%.
The analysis of the market share held by each operator that is based on the number of subscribers shows that the operator MTN is the first operator with 1,138,437 subscribers, representing 35% market share (see the figure below). The operator MOOV holds 29% market share with 950,584 subscribers. The third operator Glo Mobile is the latest entrant in the GSM market in Benin. BBCOM ranked fourth with 443,550 subscribers on its network. The smallest operator is Libercom for only 6% of market share with 194,888 subscribers.
Let us note that Libercom is a subsidiary of Benin Telecoms SA which is responsible for managing the GSM mobile phone.


 

Source : GSM operators (2008)

 Geographical coverage by mobile telephony has experienced a significant breakthrough between 2000 and 2008. Most common are covered. Only rural areas are still very little affected by the mobile.