Increasing foreign trade activities of the South African telecommunication industry in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

The growth of the telecommunications industry has triggered one of the most significant world-wide export programmes. Telecommunications is part of the chain, who directly participated promoting the industry in Sub-Saharan Africa. This thesis analyses the telecommunications industry and briefly reflects historical, political, economical and technical changes over time. It also highlights the potential for further stability. Liberalisation and stabilisation of the telecommunications industry are the main goals in the thrust into Sub-Saharan Africa. Major members of the industry that participate in the telecommunications sector are continually introducing new products and technologies. As they strive to increase business opportunities and build up the networks, they strive to develop rural areas, create jobs and educate masses of previously disadvantaged people.

ln order to comprehend the growth of telecommunications in Sub-Saharan African countries, it is essential to understand the complex economic relationships that exist. Population, Gross National Product, GNP per capita, annual growth per country and the telecommunications market structure are used in this thesis to analyse the future growth of foreign trade to Sub-Saharan Africa. Part of the research conducted also examined the various financial resources and explained how to maximise the telecommunications sector in poor countries. Foreign capital, coupled to special soft terms, is playing a role in restructuring the sector, where this is needed. This study analyses some of the factors regarding export and import in relation to the development of the telecommunications industry in Sub-Saharan Africa. It incorporates special trade operations, the relationship between demand, offer, selling and production prices. A few statistical-mathematical models and indexes, which are part of this study, aim at analysing their relationship to each other and will reveal future growth and development possibilities. The study of the non-stop movement of the economic factors shows that on the one side the costs must be minimised and, on the other side, export, quality and services must be adequately maximised. Telecommunications has reached all economic sectors in African countries. It is envisaged that at the threshold of the new millennium, these telecommunications development procedures will continue and will be extended to every interacting industrial and non-industrial sector.