Rapid increase in Africa smartphone adoption drives new telecom and tech investment

LONDON - March 14, 2017 - PRLog -- Telecom and technology companies are increasing investment in Africa as the rapid take up of smartphones and improving internet coverage drives new digital business opportunities, according to TMT Finance.

More than 750 million mobile phone users in Africa are expected to subscribe to mobile broadband services by 2020 compared to just 200 million in early 2016, which is driving massive growth for mobile operators as well as the potential for m-commerce, m-money, and m-banking services, plus areas such as agriculture and health.

Mobile operators are responding to this growth by ramping up investment in infrastructure, technology and services which also offers a fantastic opportunity for vendors and application providers, say telecom bankers and advisers.

Leaders from Africa's biggest telecom and tech companies including MTN, Orange, Liquid Telecom, Microsoft, Google, Jumia, American Tower, SEACOM, Atlas Mara, Helios and Eaton Towers are meeting with investment bankers, investors and advisers in London on May 24 to discuss new investment opportunities.

"Operators are ramping up investment in mobile network infrastructure, including buying new spectrum, particularly in the 700 Mhz band, as well as upgrading from 3G to 4G LTE technology to meet demand," say bankers. "Submarine and terrestrial cable operators are also increasing investment into international backbone infrastructure to support the growing flow of data."

Digital service providers – particularly those in the M-commerce and Mobile payments space – are also raising investment and pursuing new partnership opportunities to take advantage of the new business opportunities that are arising.

Over 200 senior telecom, media and tech executives, investment bankers and advisers will meet at TMT Finance Africa 2017 http://www.tmtfinance.com/africa/  in London on May 24 to discuss new investment and partnership opportunities.

Key sessions include:

Africa Telecom Leaders – Strategies for regional growth
Broadband Leadership – Investing in next generation infrastructure for Africa
Mergers and Acquisitions – Who will lead the next wave of transactions in Africa?
Digital Africa – Who is leading investment in Africa's Digital Economy?
Enterprise Cloud & Datacentres - Who will lead growth and investment for Africa?
Financing African TMT – Raising debt and equity capital
Africa Pay-TV –  How investment is transforming the landscape
Mobile Payments Africa Panel – How is the market developing?
Mobile Towers Africa – Who is leading mobile towers investment across Africa?

Contact enquiries@tmtfinance.com

Find out more at http://www.tmtfinance.com/africa