Telecommunications in Burkina Faso Services and Infrastructure

Burkina Faso's telecommunications sector has seen significant growth in recent years. Mobile penetration has increased to 57% of the population.

The country's mobile network operators, including MTN, Airtel, and Orange, offer a range of services including voice, data, and SMS. These services are widely available in urban areas and are increasingly accessible in rural areas.

Burkina Faso has a total of 1,434 km of fiber-optic cable, which is a significant improvement from the 2004 figure of 20 km. This expansion has enabled faster internet speeds and better connectivity for both individuals and businesses.

The country's main internet exchange point (IXP) is located in Ouagadougou and connects to several international networks, including those in Europe and North America.

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Radio and television play a significant role in Burkina Faso's telecommunications landscape. The country has a substantial number of radio stations, including state-owned radio that runs a national and regional network, as well as privately owned radio stations.

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In fact, there are 2 AM, 26 FM, and 3 shortwave stations, offering a wide range of programming to the public. This is in addition to transmissions of several international broadcasters available in Ouagadougou.

Radio remains the country's most popular communications medium, with dozens of private and community radio stations operating alongside their state-run counterparts. The BBC World Service, Voice of America, and Radio France Internationale are all accessible in the capital city.

Burkina Faso has a relatively developed television sector, with 14 digital channels available. This includes 2 state-owned channels by the broadcaster Radio Télévision du Burkina.

For another approach, see: Radio Code

Burkina Faso's telephony and mobile market has undergone significant changes over the years. The country's first mobile network was launched in 1998 by the state-run Office National Des Telecommunications (ONATEL).

The mobile market was introduced to competition in 2000 with the arrival of new GSM network operators Celtel, Télécel Faso, and ONATEL's Telmob. This led to a decrease in rates as the number of subscribers grew from 2,700 in 1998 to 1.0 million in 2006, and then to 10.0 million in 2012.

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The country's calling code is +226 and the international call prefix is 00. Mobile cellular usage has increased rapidly from a low base, with fixed-line connections standing at less than 1 per 100 persons.

Here's a breakdown of the growth of mobile subscribers in Burkina Faso:

Burkina Faso's telephone system is quite unique, with a low number of fixed-line connections, standing at less than 1 per 100 persons.

The country has a microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communication stations, which make up its telephone system.

You can call Burkina Faso using the calling code +226, and the international call prefix is 00.

The mobile-cellular usage is increasing rapidly, thanks to multiple providers, and in 2011, fixed-line connections were at a low base.

Burkina Faso is linked to the global submarine cable network through Senegal's Sonatel fibre-optic transmission network.

Here's a breakdown of the telephone system:

Burkina Faso has announced plans to roll out 800 telecom towers in 2025 to improve network coverage in areas with no coverage.

This investment plan is expected to advance the goal of widespread connectivity by 2027 and aligns with the country's objective to provide coverage to 1,000 white zones within three years.

A total of 250 sites will be launched under the Digital Transformation Acceleration Project (PACT DIGITAL), while the remaining 550 will be financed by the Universal Access and Service Fund (FASU).

The government has identified 1,700 white zones nationally, highlighting the need for extensive network expansion.

Burkina Faso's telecom industry has seen a strong increase in telecom subscribers base, necessitating network expansion covering a wider area.

The country's investment in telecommunications infrastructure has extended to a heavy involvement in the international market.

However, the industry has faced challenges such as vandalism or destruction of towers by terrorist groups, which has impacted coverage.

According to figures from regulator ARCEP, the number of out-of-service or inaccessible sites has reached 681 in August 2023 from 632 in 2022.

Burkina Faso's telecom infrastructure includes microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communication stations, with fixed-line connections standing at less than 1 per 100 persons.

The country has a huge national telecommunications network, with a strong increase in telecom subscribers base.

The mobile market continues to be the main focus of the Burkina Faso telecom sector, with mobile cellular usage increasing rapidly from a low base.

Here is a breakdown of the planned tower rollout:

Burkina Faso has a relatively low internet penetration, with only 0.1% of the population having access to fixed broadband as of 2012.

The country's internet sector has shown signs of improvement, thanks to the installation of a 22 Mbit/s fiber optic international link, which replaced the previous 128 kbit/s link.

Burkina Faso's leading wired internet service provider is ONATEL's FasoNet, which dominates the broadband market with its ADSL and EV-DO fixed-wireless offerings.

Mobile operators in the country offer data services using GPRS and EDGE technology, and 3G mobile broadband technology was introduced in 2013 by Bharti Airtel.

However, the high costs of internet-capable mobile phones and mobile internet subscriptions have limited the number of internet users in the country.

For another approach, see: Telecommunications Link

Here's a breakdown of the country's mobile subscribers:

The Burkinabe government has invested in digital infrastructure, allocating over 18 billion CFA francs ($30 million) to develop digital infrastructure and improve internet and telecommunications service access.

These efforts aim to improve the country's ranking in ICT development, which currently stands at 43rd out of 47 African countries, with a score of 30.1 out of 100.

The deployment of 5G technology is also on the horizon, with the government allocating the 3600-3800 MHz frequency band to the mobile service, paving the way for 5G and next-generation services.

The Burkinabe government has invested heavily in digital infrastructure, allocating over 18 billion CFA francs ($30 million) to develop digital infrastructure.

This investment has led to significant progress in the telecommunications sector, with the expansion of electronic communication networks to 44 new localities in underserved regions.

The government has also connected 104 new buildings to the National Public Administration Information Network (RESINA), bringing the total number of interconnected public buildings to 2,947.

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Between 2023 and 2024, 169 administrative procedure platforms were digitized, with 77 currently operational and 92 in the deployment phase.

Despite these advances, Burkina Faso faces substantial challenges, ranking 43rd out of 47 African countries in ICT development, with a score of 30.1 out of 100.

The Burkinabe government has taken a significant step towards 5G deployment by allocating the 3600-3800 MHz frequency band to the mobile service.

This paves the way for 5G and next-generation services, which could support the government's digital transformation ambitions.