Communication in Senegal
Telecommunications will be an essential part of your expatriation project in Senegal. You will definitely have access to telecommunication services in the country, although these are not as developed as you could expect in many other countries. In fact, the country hosts only two major telephone service providers which have monopolised the telecommunications market. But these provide landline, mobile phone lines as well as Internet connection in most of the country.
Landline in Senegal
The choice of telephone service providers in Senegal is quite restricted. Orange Senegal, which is a subsidiary of France Telecom, has monopolised the landline market. Therefore, you can expect to have developed services in terms of technologies.
To obtain your landline, visit any branch of Orange Senegal with your identification documents such as your passport or your foreigner identity card if you are a resident. You will then be required to duly fill and sign a subscription form. This step should not take long. You will then be requested to choose a phone number from a list, sign the subscription agreement and settle the access fees.
Otherwise, you will receive a registration number which will allow you to track the request's progress simply by calling the hotline 14. You could wait for at least 10 days before the connection.
Good to know:
Fees apply as per the following:
Deposit: 16,500 CFA
Connection: 23,400 CFA
Tax Stamps: 4,000 CFA
Make phone calls in Senegal
Senegal's international phone code is 221. To call Senegal from abroad, the international phone code should be dialed, that is 00, followed by 221 and the phone number. On the other hand, local phone numbers consist of 9 digits.
Mobile phones in Senegal
Mobile phones are definitely more popular than landlines in Senegal. To date, the country counts more than 10 million subscribers. Note that the mobile phone market is more competitive than that of landlines, thanks to the presence of Sonatel, Tigo, etc. In fact, Senegal is about to host other mobile phone service providers in the coming years.
To obtain your mobile phone, visit any branch of your favourite service provider with a copy of your passport or your consular card. You then have to duly fill and sign the subscription form. Note that you can choose between a monthly subscription or a prepaid package whereby no contract is involved. However, conditions may vary from one service provider to another. The same applies to services and packages provided.
Internet in Senegal
If you wish to have an Internet connection, you can choose from different service providers, namely Orange, Tigo, IT Arc, Expresso, etc. Note that Senegal is one of the African countries having the best Internet coverage. Thus, you can choose between ADSL, 3G broadband connections, as well as mobile Internet packages. You can have more information on the conditions and services provided on their respective websites.
To obtain an Internet connection, visit any branch of your favourite Internet service provider along with your passport or foreigner identity card if you are a resident. In case you want a typical Internet connection, you must have a landline beforehand.
Warning:
In case your neighbourhood is not accessible to the ADSL network, you will have to purchase a broadband modem.
The different service providers also offer mobile Internet services at attractive package rates.
Useful links:
Tigo - Internet packages
Orange Senegal
Kirene Avec Orange
Expresso Telecom
Sonatel
Telecommunications and Posts Regulatory Authority
