Liberia

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Liberia is a country emerging from years devastating civil conflict. Left without any fixed-line telephone infrastructure, it relies solely on mobile phones for telephony.

Iberia, established as a state in 1847 by freed African slaves from the US, is situated on the Atlantic coast of West Africa, with Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast as bordering countries. A relatively small country with approximately 4.6 million inhabitants, it's attempting to right itself afte decades of civil conlict with two major civil wars (1989–1996 and 1999–2003). These years of conflict have seen nearly 1/3 of the population displaced, as well as having taken the lives of approximately 250,000 people. One outcome of these years of civil conflict was the complete destruction of the fixed-line telephone infrastructure. The copper network was wholly destroyed or looted.

Today Liberia became a prime example of an almost entirely wireless telecommunications market. Still cellular penetration of 75% lags the regional average of 82%.

The high cost and limited bandwidth of connections means that internet access is expensive and data speeds are very low. Although additional bandwidth is available from an international submarine cable, considerable investment is still needed in domestic fixed-line infrastructure before end-users can make full use of the cable. In the mobile sector, competition has resulted in relatively low call prices despite the lack of basic infrastructure in the country.

Three (or now rather 2) mobile operators compete for customers:


 * LoneStar Cell (majority owned by MTN),

Liberia’s Libercell, that was also known as Atlantic Wireless, was shut down by the Liberian authorities in Monrovia in 2012 for not paying its taxes and duties.
 * Orange Liberia acquired and rebranded from Cellcom
 * Novafone GSM (formerly Comium) acquired by LoneStar

GSM 900 and 1800 MHz, 3G 2100 MHz, 4G/LTE 1800 MHz (B3) with Orange only in Monrovia and Kakata

Officially, all SIM cards need to be registered on the name of the owner. In fact, often already registered SIM are resold on the streets. By mandate of the Liberian Telecommunications Authority, all GSM subscribers are requested to register their SIM to avoid being disconnected. As long as your SIM is not registered you will be able to receive calls but not make calls.

To register your SIM card bring along with an official ID card and visit our head office store on the Capital Bypass or any Orange stores or Orange POS located at Total Service Stations in and around Liberia.

Registration is free.

Currency: Liberian Dollar (L$, LRD) and US$. 15% taxes added.

Pick up a Cellcom or Lonestar SIM card from booths on the street for US$6 to US$8.

Internet cafes are popping up more and more, but service (always slow) is limited in rural areas. Wi-fi spaces are increasing (especially in Monrovia). Internet access costs from US$4 to US$6 per hour; wi-fi in hotel lobbies and bars is usually free with a purchase.

LoneStar Cell MTN
(60% owned by MTN South Africa) used to be market leader with about 1/2 of the nations customers of more than 1.5 millon.

More information

 * APN: internetlcc
 * Website: http://www.lonestarcell.com/en/Pages/default.aspx

Orange Liberia (formerly Cellcom)
as cellcom No.2, bought Cellcom through its Ivory Coast subsidiary in 2016, rebranded in 2017. LTE started in 2016 in Monrovia and 2017 in Kakata. Now claims to have overtaken LoneStar. 2012 was the first operator in Liberia to launch 3G (HSPA+) services following by 4G-LTE services in 2016. For example, the construction of 39 sites in 2016 and 65 additional sites planned for 2017. Part of the plan is to accelerate broadband deployment and to expand 4G penetration across the country.

More information

 * APN: web.cellcomnet.net
 * Website: http://www.orange.com.lr/

Novafone GSM (formerly Comium)
- low coverage, unreliable, cash-stricken, not recommended, owing taxes, up for sale -finally acquired by LoneStar in 2016 and now offered as second brand.

More information

 * APN:
 * Website: http://www.novafone.com.lr/