Universal service funds in Africa
Please sign in or register for a free public account to access this report.
Policy reforms to enhance effectiveness
Governments around the world have introduced policies to incentivise internet infrastructure rollout in underserved locations and stimulate demand for services among consumers. In Africa, 51 of the 54 countries in the region have introduced or are in the process of introducing the universal service fund (USF) mechanism as a means to deploy mobile broadband infrastructure in commercially unviable areas.
To understand the performance of USFs in Africa, the GSMA conducted an extensive study. This entailed a survey of stakeholders, including USF authorities, government ministries and service providers from 40 countries across the region. Results from the study highlight structural and operational challenges requiring urgent attention from policymakers and USF authorities.
Related research
Mobile Investment Gaps: Pacific Islands
By 2030, a significant investment gap will remain in the Pacific Islands unless reform is implemented to unlock investment, improve returns and affordability, and remove the barriers hindering adoption and digital inclusion.
Towards a digital nation: addressing the scam economy in Asia Pacific
The rapid expansion of digital technologies, and mobile connectivity in particular, has profoundly impacted scam techniques and their reach. All individuals with a mobile subscription – approximately 5.8 billion people – are potential targets for scams. Rises in the volume, frequency, sophistication and success rate of scams in recent years are having a significant financial impact on victims and the global economy.
Powering lift-off for drones: benchmarking spectrum and readiness for UAVs
Commercial drone deployment at scale would allow drones to seamlessly integrate into our daily activities and transform various industries, adding economic growth. However, achieving this requires a supportive regulatory framework. GSMA Intelligence assessed drone regulatory readiness and spectrum availability across 13 countries in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. The readiness level of each country varies based on several indicators, including the availability of licensed mobile spectrum. The realisation of the drone opportunity will depend on the ability of countries to enable a supportive regulatory environment.
Authors
How to access this report
Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.
Enquire about subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn moreRelated research
Mobile Investment Gaps: Pacific Islands
By 2030, a significant investment gap will remain in the Pacific Islands unless reform is implemented to unlock investment, improve returns and affordability, and remove the barriers hindering adoption and digital inclusion.
Towards a digital nation: addressing the scam economy in Asia Pacific
The rapid expansion of digital technologies, and mobile connectivity in particular, has profoundly impacted scam techniques and their reach. All individuals with a mobile subscription – approximately 5.8 billion people – are potential targets for scams. Rises in the volume, frequency, sophistication and success rate of scams in recent years are having a significant financial impact on victims and the global economy.
Powering lift-off for drones: benchmarking spectrum and readiness for UAVs
Commercial drone deployment at scale would allow drones to seamlessly integrate into our daily activities and transform various industries, adding economic growth. However, achieving this requires a supportive regulatory framework. GSMA Intelligence assessed drone regulatory readiness and spectrum availability across 13 countries in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. The readiness level of each country varies based on several indicators, including the availability of licensed mobile spectrum. The realisation of the drone opportunity will depend on the ability of countries to enable a supportive regulatory environment.
- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics