Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has formally approved plans to conduct an auction for licences to utilise radio frequencies within the 2500 MHz-2600 MHz band for mobile services. According to the outlined plan, spectrum licences will be granted for a duration of up to 15 years. Licence holders will be obligated to commence commercial services within 12 months of receiving their respective concessions. They are also mandated to deploy at least 3,000 5G base stations operating in the 2.6 GHz band within a two-year time frame. The starting price for spectrum licences is VND 3.98 trillion ($161.7 million). The auction is scheduled to be held by the end of 2023.
Kenya-based telecom provider Safaricom PLC has expanded its 5G network coverage to select towns across 35 counties. The new counties with 5G coverage include Bomet, Busia, Isiolo, Kitui, Mandera, Migori, Tharaka-Nithi, Trans Nzoia, Homa Bay, West Pokot, Embu, Kirinyaga, Muranga and Turkana, adding to Safaricom’s existing 5G footprint in Nairobi, Kiambu, Mombasa, Kisumu, Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, Garissa, Kajiado, Kisii, Machakos, Kakamega, Kilifi, Siaya, Kericho, Kwale, Laikipia, Marsabit, Meru, Narok, Nyeri and Vihiga. The company has over 500,000 customers that use 5G smartphones. In an effort to further accelerate 5G adoption, Safaricom has implemented a price reduction policy for its 5G Wi-Fi routers. Customers opting for an outright purchase will receive a substantial 60 per cent discount, with the price dropping from KES 25,000 ($164.9) to KES 9,999. Moreover, nearly half a million eligible customers will have the opportunity to acquire the router at no cost by signing an 18-month contract. The operator has also increased 5G Wi-Fi volumes for home consumer packages.
Mozambique’s National Institute of Communications has inaugurated its “internet in schools” project in a public-private partnership with Starlink. The scheme aims to connect approximately 300 educational establishments across the country.
Guyana’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has confirmed that the implementation of number portability (NP) is progressing steadily. As the service nears completion, operators are poised to enter a final testing phase before NP is made available to the public. The PUC has emphasised the collaborative efforts of service providers such as Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company, Digicel Guyana and ENet in ensuring a seamless and efficient process. The regulator praised the introduction of NP in Guyana as a transformative step emphasising that it empowers consumers and businesses. It asserted that this will herald a new era of innovation and customer-centric service.
Gambia Telecommunications Company Limited (Gamtel) has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with Huawei to upgrade and expand its core/backbone network. The telco disclosed that the upgrade includes the deployment of seven dense wavelength division multiplexing channels and an optical line terminal to improve bandwidth, and cater to the increasing service and coverage demands in the ICT sector.
The Vietnamese government has issued resolution 192/NQ-CP, extending the country’s mobile money pilot scheme until the end of 2024. The pilot programme, which initially commenced in March 2021 for a two-year period, has demonstrated promising results, with the number of mobile money service users exceeding 3.9 million by May 2023. The State Bank of Vietnam has partnered with MIC and the Ministry of Public Security. It will conduct a review and propose regulations governing mobile money services by May 2024.
The Government of Senegal has initiated the implementation of the universal digital access programme in collaboration with its partners, aiming to address connectivity gaps in the country’s border areas. During a regional tour, Macky Sall, president, highlighted the significance of the $100 million project, emphasising its potential to provide high quality telecom services to thousands of residents across 200 previously unserved and underserved localities.
The Communications Authority of Kenya has issued a determination establishing a revised fixed and mobile termination rate, which will come into effect on March 1, 2024. Under this new determination, the per minute termination rate will decrease from the current level of KES 0.58 (approximately $0.0038) to KES 0.41, and will remain in effect for two years. Meanwhile, the SMS termination rate of KES 0.05 per message will remain unchanged. This decision is based on a comprehensive “National Roaming, Telecommunications Tower Sharing and Termination Rates Network Cost Study” conducted in 2022.
Ethiopia’s much-anticipated tender for a second national telecommunications licence (Licence B) has reportedly failed to attract any bids. As per reports, instability in certain parts of the country has been identified as a contributing factor to the lack of bidding. The absence of formal interest in the new concession is particularly striking, given that the Ethiopian authorities extended the deadline for potential bidders to qualify for participation in the sale process.
MTN Nigeria and the American Tower Corporation (ATC) Africa have entered into a new agreement to enhance mobile connectivity across the country. Under this collaboration, ATC Africa will facilitate new tenancies for MTN over a multi-year period, starting in the second half of 2024. MTN Nigeria aims to fulfil its site requirements by leveraging ATC Africa’s comprehensive portfolio of over 8,000 sites in Nigeria, a significant portion of which already integrate environmentally friendly energy solutions. Furthermore, the deployment of new sites will adhere to ATC Africa’s rigorous green site specifications.
The debut of the Starlink satellite broadband service in Angola has reportedly been postponed from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the third quarter of 2024. A report indicates that Starlink has not yet received the necessary regulatory approvals from the Angolan Institute of Communications. Despite the delay, prospective Angolan users can still pre-register for the Starlink service. The low earth orbit satellite-based internet service is anticipated to provide up to 220 Mbps download speeds and 25 Mbps upload speeds in remote regions and in the territorial waters of Angola.
Telecom Namibia (TN) has signed an NAD 100 million ($5.3 million) agreement with Huawei for the delivery of a fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) core network. FMC technology eliminates the traditional separation between fixed and mobile networks, leading to a superior customer experience. This is achieved by seamlessly integrating fixed broadband and local access wireless technologies, enabling TN to cater to the evolving needs of customers across various settings, including homes, offices and mobile environments. Furthermore, TN aims to leverage FMC technology to introduce innovative service offerings and expand its market share.
NOW Telecom and AST SpaceMobile have entered into a partnership to provide satellite mobile broadband services across the Philippines, expanding NOW Telecom’s national presence. According to NOW Corporation, this strategic initiative is primarily focused on delivering comprehensive communication solutions, encompassing voice, video, data and internet connectivity, to remote regions with limited or no infrastructure. Furthermore, NOW Telecom affirmed that the MoU will enable citizens of the Philippines to connect their mobile phones from any location within the country through the single cell site in the sky provided by NOW’s partner AST.
Telecom regulators in Senegal and Mauritania have embarked on a new era of cooperation with the signing of a formal agreement addressing cross-border frequency management.Senegal’s Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications and Post and the Regulatory Authority of Mauritania have signed an MoU to work towards enhancing the quality of telecom services in border regions and minimise interference across their shared 742 km border.
The Angolan government has secured a loan agreement valued at $248 million from the Export-Import Bank of China. This loan will be utilised to finance the acquisition of equipment and services for the implementation of the country’s national broadband project.
Togo and Ghana have signed a bilateral MoU for the introduction of mutual free international mobile network roaming between the two countries. This initiative aligns with the Economic Community of West African States Roaming Regulations, aiming to facilitate seamless and affordable cross-border communication within the region. The MoU was formally signed by the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Post of Togo and the Natio-nal Communications Authority of Ghana on November 1, 2023. The agreement stipulates the implementation of free mobile roaming services between Togo and Ghana, scheduled to commence on March 1, 2024. After this, outgoing call costs will drop to XOF 8.67 ($0.14) per minute, compared to the current XOF 279 charged by Togocom and XOF 550 by Moov Africa Togo. Incoming calls and texts will be free for the first 30 consecutive days. The MoU establishes a maximum rate of XOF 1.6 per MB for mobile internet roaming services, significantly lower than the existing rates of up to XOF 8,400.
The National Assembly of Vietnam has amended the Law on Telecommunications 2009 to update and modernise the existing legal framework. According to the MIC, the new law will support the implementation of Vietnam’s policies on the fourth industrial revolution, fulfil international commitments and promote national digital transformation. It will also establish a suitable legal framework that aligns with the new requirements and addresses obstacles encountered during the state’s implementation and management. Further, it will develop telecom infrastructure to lay the foundation for the growth of the digital economy and digital society. Moreover, the amendment aims to address institutional issues, policy gaps and inadequacies in the Law on Telecommunications 2009 and other related legal regulations.
Mauritania-based Mattel has launched a pilot 5G network in conjunction with equipment partner Huawei. The company claims to be the first Mauritanian operator to begin testing 5G technology, with download rates of 2 Gbps on its trial network.
Philippines-based Globe Telecom has released its latest 5G network expansion details, adding 716 new sites across the country and further enhancing its roaming services globally. As a result, 5G outdoor coverage now stands at 97.7 per cent in the National Capital Region and 92 per cent in key cities of Visayas and Mindanao (VisMin), such as Cebu and Davao.
Ethio Telecom has announced the expansion of its 5G network to select areas in the city of Jigjiga. The development follows the operator’s announcement of the commercial launch of 5G technology a few months ago, having initially deployed its infrastructure in the capital, Addis Ababa, as well as the city of Adama.
Airtel Uganda has launched its first 5G home device for fixed wireless broadband access. The device will enable home users and small businesses to connect to the internet via the company’s 5G network, which was launched earlier in 2023.
