"This report makes an inventory of existing transmission backbones in Sub-Saharan Africa, and discusses issues related to solutions for improved utilization of such networks. Mobile GSM operators in Sub-Saharan Africa are rapidly covering most populated areas with telephone services. To reach new ar ... eas, the operators keep expanding their transmission links, and the result is the emergence of new telecommunication backbone networks. The mobile operators now own and control the bulk of transmission backbone capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Regulation and competition between operators have largely prevented shared use of these emerging backbones. A number of issues are raised in the report: The lack of open access, the dominating position of the GSM operators, the pricing of transmission services and regulation. It is Sida’s intention to raise these issues among African operators, regulators, policy makers, donors and financing organisations." (Back cover) more