One of the areas in which Tunisia excels in comparison to its peers in in the area of telecommunications. The administration of Tunisia have seen that the internet and mobile communications are both lucrative and also important in developing a knowledge economy.
Internet
In Tunisia there are well over one million internet users and all main population centres are served with fast internet. This starts at dial up internet and goes all the way to leased lines, 8-24meg broadband and recently 7 meg 3g mobile internet though the faster speeds are only really available near the coast.
Mobile
Tunisia embraced the mobile phone so much so I don’t know anyone without a mobile phone. The network provides a wide area of coverage at standard speeds and also a wide coverage of high speed 3g however this area seems to be concentrated along the coast with the main population areas.
Foreign travellers can connect with ease to the local operators though we advise that roaming charges are opaque and can cause massive bills in a very short period of usage. A longer stay or work visit will probably mean its better value to get a Tunisian SIM card and which can be obtained at any network providers shop with a passport and money (which is not much). Mobile phones in Tunisia tend to be pay as you go rather than contract based as as a result you can get the cards in nearly all shops and taxi phones in Tunisia.
Telecoms Companies
Here are some of the main companies in Tunisia from which an expat/tourist may deal with.
Tunisie Telecom
The National Telecommunications Office was created following the enactment of Law No. 36 of April 17, 1995. The agency then changed its legal status, under Decree No. 30 of 5 April 2004, to become a limited company named “Tunisie Telecom”.
In July 2006 the decision was made to open the capital of Tunisie Telecom to 35% for the Emirati consortium Tecom-Dig. This operation aims to improve the profitability of Tunisia Telecom and enable it to become a major operator.
Since its inception, Tunisie Telecom works to strengthen the telecom infrastructure in Tunisia, to improve the coverage and enhance its competitiveness. It also contributes actively to the promotion of ICT use and development of innovative companies in the telecom sector.
Tunisia Telecom has in its ranks more than 6 million subscribers in the fixed and mobile telephony, in Tunisia.
Tunisie Telecom has 24 regional branches, 80 and Actel outlets and more than 13,000 retail outlets. It employs over 8000 staff.
Address
Tunisie Telecom, the Lake Gardens II, 1053 Tunis, Tunisia.
Tel: (00 216) 71901717, (00 216) 71139700,
Fax: (00 216) 71900777, (00 216) 71860635.
Website: www.tunisietelecom.tn
Products
- Fixed lines
- adsl
- mobile phones
- 3G (coming soon)
- grouped lines
- leased lines
Tunisiana
Orascom Telecom Tunisia “Tunisiana” with a capital of 359.172 million dinars, is a Tunisian company founded May 11, 2002.
Since its commercial launch 27 December 2002, Tunisiana ambition was to become the largest private operator of reference on the telecommunications market.
Tunisiana covers 60% of the population. On 16 December 2004, Tunisiana surpassed one million subscribers. Coverage was extended to 99% of the population in the course of 2005.
The network was launched from a strong intensification to meet growing demand from customers and has acquired the latest technology in the world of GSM (GPRS and EDGE in particular) to offer all its subscribers access ” data “(MMS, internet …) with speeds very comfortable.
The year 2009 ended with 5.2 million active subscribers and has captured over 50% market share.
Address
LACII Tunis
Website http://www.tunisiana.com
Products
- Mobile
- Mobile internet GPRS
- Mobile marketing and SMS
- Blackberry
Orange Tunisie
Part of the massive Orange brand (france telecom) orange Tunisia has made quite an impact on arrival in Tunisia being the first operator in Tunisia to offer 3G access speeds via mobile dongle and telephone. It also offers a in home ‘slingbox’ product that offers a router with internet and a telephone powered by 3G so that houses that have no physical connection to the telephone network can still have broadband and a telephone in the house.
Products
- Mobile
- Mobile internet
- 3G
- 3G home routers
- Iphone 4 (seller)
Address
Headquarters: Orange Building, Centre Urbain Nord, 1003 TunisRegistered in the Commercial Register under number B2411262004Fiscal badge holder No. 868024 / DTelephone: +216 71167900Fax Number: +216 71961808
Headquarters: Orange Building, Centre Urbain Nord, 1003 Tunis
Registered in the Commercial Register under number B2411262004
Fiscal badge holder No. 868024 / D
Telephone: +216 71167900
Fax Number: +216 71961808
Website http://www.orange.tn
