Report

Price power: China’s role in the telecommunications sector of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The mobile phone in Africa is by far the most used means of communication as fixed line coverage is still weak. The ITU reported that 90% of all African subscribers today use mobile phones. Chinese investment in African telecommunications and information and communication technology in general is growing, although this growth is more in the form of equipment sales. After the turmoil experienced in the DRC with previous governments the relative peace has given the mobile phone operators a chance of expanding their business. Although the number of service providers in the DRC is growing the Chinese are actively working to increase their stake in the telecommunications field not without their fare share of problems.