International Tale communication Union (ITU) Rates Ethio Telecom As the Least Service Provider

December 17, 2014

The state monopoly ethio telecom has reacted against an undermining report by the International Tale communication Union (ITU).

The report in Information and Communication Technology Development Index (IDI) on October 24, 2014 shows that Ethiopia stands 162nd out of 166 surveyed countries, based on mobile phone and internet use. Among the major criteria that the ITU uses to rank countries are ICT intensity and usage level, and ICT capability or skills.


According to an ethio telecom representative, the ITU criteria focused only on the skill-based specification, rather than efforts and results for universal access to ICT. ethio telecom claimed that the ITU undermined Ethiopia, and that the country was ranked near the bottom because the ITU gives priority to accessibility in its unfair criteria, as countries like Ethiopia focus on service penetration, which the ITU takes as a sign of weakness.

ethio telecom also revealed that Ethiopia is recognised as being at a high level by the World Cellular Information Service (WCIS). In addition to this, Ethiopia was ranked sixth out of African countries which give telecom services, by international telecom study institution, GSM, in its 2014 second round report.