The client, a major player in the submarine fibre-optic cable domain needed independent verification on a model they maintain to predict demand of their services in selected African countries.

Key objectives as listed by the client included:

  • To provide historic and forecast data on fixed and mobile subscriber numbers.
  • To provide data on the uptake of broadband services per technology type per country in the study.
  • To provide data on the CAPEX, OPEX and data revenues per service provider in the countries in the study.
  • To provide a considered view on the international bandwidth demands expected for the countries in the study.

The solution approach

BMI-T drew on its Bandwidth Demand Model – a multi-layer “bottom-up” tool that draws on statistics and demographics from various sources across on the African continent. This was supplemented by benchmarking data from reliable international studies. BMI-T was able to map bandwidth demand at all levels, including access and long-distance, and from that further constructed forecasts for retail demand growth and resultant wholesale demand by operators and other bandwidth providers.

The outcomes or the project

Through the study the client was able to device a properly-informed provisioning plan, leading to decision making on where and when to make investments so as to maximise returns.