Analysis of Mobile Telecommunication Networks’ Coverage and Internet Capacity to Support mHealth Applications in Blantyre City: A Case of TNM and Airtel Networks

Abstract

Background: Different authors have argued about the importance of telehealth in Sub-Sahara Africa. Mobile health applications have become the most popular type of the telehealth services under exploration. The success in deploying these mHealth applications hinge mainly on the mobile network coverage and the Internet capacity. In this research, the coverage and capacity of two main mobile network providers were analyzed with respect to the location of health centres and the population in the focus areas. Base stations managed by Telekom Networks Malawi PLC and Airtel Malawi Limited were analyzed by collecting secondary data from Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority and primary data was collected through the conducting of Internet speed tests at a sample of five health centres. The download and upload speeds and network latency data sets were analyzed using one-sample t-test method to find the deviation between recommended data speeds for different types of medical data and the means from network sample data that collected from sample health centres. Additional data on population and location of health centres was collected from National Statistical Office, Blantyre District Health Office. Results: By drawing network coverage maps using ArcGIS, results show that there is adequate network coverage for 2G, 3G and 4G. At significances of p-value<0.05, using the 95% confidence interval one sample t-test, and by observing the mean differences the analysis shows that both networks can handle remote sensing data, emails and transfer of bio-signals like electromyography, electrocardiogram and electroencephalogram at all five-sample health centres. Conclusion: The data analysis shows weakness in both download and upload speeds at all sample health centres in IP telephony and High Definition video conferencing data.