media landscape guide about Somalia - Internews

9. Telecommunications OverviewThe telecommunications sector has flourished in a completely deregulatedenvironment since the collapse of central government in 1991.Several privately owned mobile telephone networks have developed. Todaythey provide extensive mobile coverage throughout the country – and beyond.In late 2011, the only mobile signal available to the 135,000 inhabitants of theDolo Ado refugee camp in Ethiopia came from across the border in Somalia!The mobile telephone is perfectly adapted to Somalia’s oral culture and thenomadic lifestyle of the majority of its inhabitants.It is also a godsend for people displaced by drought and conflict who need tokeep in touch with their family and friends and seek help from relativesoverseas when they are on the move.In areas without electricity, shops and small businesses often recharge mobilephones with solar-powered chargers for a small fee.Reliable statistics on mobile phone ownership in Somalia do not exist.The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) estimated that there were648,000 mobile phones in Somalia in 2010, giving a mobile penetration rate ofjust 7%.But other estimates put the true figure of mobile ownership much higher – atup to 39%.Nevertheless access to mobile phones is restricted amongst the very poor,especially displaced people and the inhabitants of remote rural areasSomalia’s mobile phone companies have developed profitable sidelines in theform of money transfer and electricity supply services.These help to plug major gaps in economic infrastructure in a country wherethe landline network, the banking system and the public electricity networkhave all collapsed.Several mobile phone companies also offer landline services.However, these only operate as closed local networks in certain regions. It isoften impossible to make a phone call from one landline network to another.Connections between different mobile networks can also be difficult.85