Diesel shortages disrupt calls, internet and Mobile Money in Congo
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Congo B
Diesel shortages and power supply failures are disrupting calls, internet and Mobile Money in the Republic of the Congo, according to the Regulatory Agency for Posts and Electronic Communications. The regulator says electricity is available for an average of only nine hours a day and generators can no longer fully provide backup, in a statement published on 27 October.
Fuel shortages are disrupting calls, internet access and Mobile Money services in the Republic of the Congo, the Regulatory Agency for Posts and Electronic Communications (ARPCE) said on 27 October. The regulator attributes the interruptions to an inadequate electricity supply and a lack of fuel for the generators that provide backup.
Operators receive an average of nine hours of electricity a day, while backup batteries last around six hours, according to checks by the ARPCE. For the rest of the time, equipment depends on generators. Helios Towers, which manages 550 mobile phone masts in the country, needs about 100,000 litres of diesel a week for its sites, or nearly 400,000 litres a month.
The ARPCE notes that power cuts, combined with fuel shortages, are affecting technical sites and communications networks. The situation is disrupting voice, data and mobile payment services across all or part of the country, according to the regulator.
