According to recent statistics, released at the end of 2017, Mozambique's telecoms sector grew by 11% in 2016.

The Regulatory Report 2016 is only the second of study of its kind to be released by Mozambique's Communications Regulatory Authority (INCM) over the institution's twenty five year history.

Ema Maria Santos Chicoco, Chairperson of the Management Board at INCM, admits in the document that although the regulator is fairly new to publishing these types of reports, it is however pleased to have finally managed to release the report and thereby fulfil its duty of providing information of public interest.

"Within this report, great emphasis is laid on the 11% growth of the national telecommunications market during the year under consideration over its status in 2015. The number of mobile phone subscribers increased from approximately 12 million to just over 13 million, and the mobile telecommunications market generated a total of about 26 billion metical in gross revenue."

The report encompasses data from landline operator Telecomunicações de Moçambique SA (TDM) as well as three local mobile phone operators Mcel, Vodacom and Movitel.

It states that revenue growth was driven by on-net calls, which had a total of approximately 12 billion minutes, growing by what INCM says was approximately 27% over the figure of 11 billion minutes from 2015.

Chicoco emphasises the relevance of newly introduced legislation, such as the Telecommunications Act (Law No. 4/2016 of June 3).

She said adds that these laws have since led to important actions that include the preparation and approval of interventions such as Mozambique's Regulatory Telecommunications Rates and the Regulation on Telecommunications and Scarce Resources Licensing.

"The Universal Access Fund (FSAU) managed by INCM triggered a series of actions with a view to promoting communications access to communities located in remote areas. Particular mention must be made of the equipment provided to Community Multimedia Centres (CMC), or "Telecentros", and of the financing of mobile phone network installations in 30 locations in the southern, central and northern regions of Mozambique. Over the same period, resources and means have been researched for the provision of broadband access by reusing the blanks in the VHF and UHF frequencies (TV White Spaces). This new technology was implemented in the Municipality of Boane, Maputo Province, through the installation of a data transmission network and a computer network, as well as access points and Internet settings," said Chicoco.

A week before the release of the report Mozambique's Minister of Transport and Communications, Carlos Alberto Fortes Mesquita launched a mobile telephone station in the district of Moamba, Maputo Province.

The construction of that cellular mobile telephone station was carried out in terms of a contract between FSAU and MOVITEL which won a public tender to take part in the project. Of the 30 stations planned, 22 have now been completed, according to INCM.

The report also covers the issue of cybersecurity. Chicoco says the protection of the information and data of ICT users, whether individuals or organisations, has become a critical national concern.

The country is in the process of rolling out a National Cybersecurity Strategy (2017-2021) to secure its cyber space.