BOSTON -- Algeria is set to become more competitive as 3G is introduced in 2013 and expected regulatory changes allow number portability and local loop unbundling, according to a new report from Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com).

Algeria: Government Nationalizing Djezzy, Broadband Revenue to Soar as 3G About to Be Introduced offers a precise profile of the country's telecommunications, media and technology sectors based on proprietary data from Pyramid's research in the market. It provides a detailed competitive analysis of both the fixed and mobile sectors, tracks the market shares of technologies and services and monitors the introduction and spread of new technologies.

"Tight regulations imposed by the government have deterred foreign buyers," says Pyramid Research Analyst, Ousmane Yatera. Nedjma, the only Ooredoo affiliate without 3G services, expressed high expectations from UMTS technology, and it made a substantial effort to modernize its network in order to comply with the license requirements. Equally, the other operators have been investing a lot of money to improve their infrastructure for 3G. This move will give operators more flexibility to offer data-based services such as mobile video. "If the mobile operators succeed in building high-quality 3G networks, they could also attract ADSL customers who complain about the quality of service," he adds.