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Somalia’s leading telecommunication operators, Telesom and SOMTEL have signed an interconnection agreement that will enable users of either network to seamlessly communicate with each other.
The agreement was facilitated by the country’s Ministry of Telecommunication and Technology, but it is unclear if the interconnectivity will cost the user additional fees.
On February 8th, the operators agreed to own equal shares of the fibre optic network in Somaliland, previously owned by SOMCABLE, with a minor share purchased by the government of Somaliland at the cost of $1.6 million, reported the Somaliland Chronicle.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that Telesom, which dominates Somaliland’s mobile phone and mobile money markets, has been resisting carrier interconnectivity with SOMTEL, but stipulation in the fibre agreement includes clauses that have paved the way for today’s interconnectivity agreement.
Commenting, Dr. Abdiweli Abdillahi Soufi, the Minister of Telecommunication and Technology said, “The Ministry has developed Interconnection Regulations and roadmap that will guide the telecom interconnection. Similarly, the Ministry has brought together both Telecom operators and has hosted negotiations between the operators to solve issues and start interconnection service. The parties conducted several meetings at the Ministry premises. Therefore, the Ministry is working to enable this service to the Somaliland population soon.”
Somaliland government maintains little to no leverage over telecom operators, which are also Somaliland’s largest financial institutions and government creditors.
Although cellphone penetration in Somaliland is higher than in many countries in Africa and the developing world, some basic services such as voicemail, call waiting, and 911 equivalent systems to help first responders locate and render emergency services are not deployed by telecom operators.
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