Back It Up

How has Telecomunicaçíµes de Moçambique (TDM) contributed to the economic development of Mozambique?

TDM is 90% state-owned, with the remaining 10% owned by its employees. We compete with other market players on an equal basis; we provide quality solutions to telecommunications operators, organizations, and people contributing to the growth and development of the country.

How would you characterize the ability of Mozambique’s telecommunications infrastructure to meet the needs of rapid economic growth?

We have a modern and robust telecommunications infrastructure, and yet its level of development is not uniform, and needs improvement. There are challenges ahead, in particularly with regards to investment in new infrastructure and the strengthening of existing services.

What role does TDM play in the development of infrastructure?

TDM is the main provider of telecommunications infrastructure in Mozambique for landlines, backhaul for mobile telephone services, broadband services, and the internet. As such, TDM is a major player in the economic development of the country. It is the only player in fixed-line telecommunications services, which, as you know, are in decline. Up to 2010, our network was exclusively linking all provincial capitals through a national broadband transmission network using 10,000 kilometers of fiber-optic cables, allowing TDM to satisfy demand. TDM also provides ADSL connections and a CDMA network that covers all provincial capitals and major cities. We have been providing CDMA services for voice calls and the internet to reach areas inaccessible through normal cable and fiber optics. We recently upgraded the CDMA network to 800 MHz. Recently, we also launched a more comprehensive service in an effort to provide coverage to more customers. We have also extended this to all products due to increased mobile phone usage, and also aim to introduce new services like SMS and email, and possibly media in the future.

What is the main challenge of ensuring that Mozambique’s telecommunications infrastructure reaches the entire population?

Infrastructure is very expensive to put in place for widespread benefit. We need to address universal access, which means that we need to encompass certain areas that are not commercially viable, but rather a social or nationally strategic consideration. If people can efficiently interact, they are immediately in a better position to participate in national development. We have moved from being a public to a private company, although our core mission has remained to provide infrastructure for the benefit of all, while simultaneously dealing with issues related to the introduction of an open market.

How do you balance TDM’s social and commercial goals?

This is a difficult balance to maintain, but throughout 2011 and 2012 we achieved a positive balance sheet. We are working to provide infrastructure for all as soon as possible, especially at hospitals and other public facilities. This, along with the connectivity of schools, is something we are determined to realize. It is only a matter of time, but the small projects are often the most difficult.