Tanzania’s 5G coverage rapidly expands to 15pc

Tanzania’s 5G coverage rapidly expands to 15pc

Dar es Salaam. The percentage of the Tanzanian population that is covered by the fifth generation (5G) rose to 15 percent during the second quarter of the current calendar year, thanks to ongoing investment in telecommunications infrastructure.

 A new report by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) shows that 5G connectivity rose from 13 percent of the population in the first quarter to 15 percent in the second quarter. Tanzania launched 5G last year.

Coverage for 3G has reached 89 percent of the population, enhancing access to data services, while 4G coverage has reached 83 percent, which has improved internet speed and reliability.

In terms of geographical coverage, however, 5G technology has reached two percent of the population, up from one percent recorded in March.

TCRA’s communications statistics for the quarter ending June this year indicate that internet subscriptions rose from 36.8 million as of March to 39.3 million in June.

With an average annual growth rate of 9.8 percent in internet subscriptions over the past five years, the subscriptions rose from 25.8 million in 2019 to 35.9 million in 2023.

According to TCRA, the extension of 5G coverage to 15 percent signifies faster speeds, reduced latency, and more reliable connections compared to other technologies.

“This growth reflects the sector’s dynamic evolution in response to user demands. These combined improvements across the communications sector are crucial for fostering a more connected and digitally empowered society,” said the authority’s director general, Dr Jabiri Bakari, in the report. However, the country’s data consumption for the last three months has increased by 27 percent, contributing to the increase in internet users.

Mobile wireless is mostly preferred compared to other internet services; it comprises 99.6 percent of all subscriptions. In general, TCRA said the monthly internet subscriptions for the quarter ending June 2024 show that mobile wireless is the most preferred compared to other internet services.

“The communications sector in the quarter ending June experienced significant progress and a notable increase in the adoption of telecommunication services, driven by the continued competitiveness of service tariffs,” reads part of the report. This is crucial for meeting today’s demand for continuous connectivity, enabling advancements such as smart home devices (IoT) and enhanced mobile experiences.

Speaking to The Citizen yesterday, Tigo Tanzania Chief Technical and Information Officer Mr Emmanuel Mallya said: “Tigo Tanzania acknowledges the recent statistics as revealed by the TCRA Q2 report indicating that 15 percent of the population now has access to 5G technology.”

He said that a milestone signifies that mobile network operators are committed to investing in developing telecommunication infrastructure to benefit individuals and businesses alike.

Tigo Tanzania contributes heavily to this statistic following our massive network modernization and upgrade initiative, where we have rolled out 4G networks nationwide and 5G in major urban cities.

“We are determined to continue investing in cutting-edge technologies. Our goal is to reach 30 percent of population coverage by the end of 2025, ensuring 5G technology reaches all major cities and towns in the country, bridging the digital divide, and fostering inclusive development.  Tigo Tanzania remains dedicated to driving digital transformation and contributing to Tanzania’s economic and social development,” he said.  On the other hand, in March this year, Vodacom Tanzania’s head of Network Quality Assurance, Mr Emmanuel Luanda, told The Citizen yesterday that Vodacom’s pioneering role in deploying 5G underscores its commitment to driving innovation and enhancing connectivity for businesses.

“With a current coverage of 13 percent, we have made substantial progress, increasing our 5G sites from 232 in 2022 to 364 today. 5G is not just about faster internet for consumers; it’s primarily tailored for businesses, enabling transformative use cases in the Internet of Things (IoT) and Business to Business (B2B) deployments,” he insisted.

In March this year, Airtel regulatory and corporate communications official Ms Beatrice Singano told The Citizen: “We appreciate the opportunity to address these key questions regarding 5G technology and Airtel Tanzania’s role in its adoption and rollout.”

“We need to acknowledge that the deployment and adoption of 5G technology involves various factors, including infrastructure development, spectrum availability, device compatibility, and consumer demand,” she said.

Original Media Source

Share this news

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp

This Year's Most Read News Stories

Tanzania Declares End of Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak
Tanzania Foreign Investment News
Chief Editor

Tanzania Declares End of Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak

Tanzania Declares End of Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak

Tanzania today declared the end of Marburg virus disease outbreak after recording no new cases over 42 days since the death of the last confirmed case on 28 January 2025.

The outbreak, in which two confirmed and eight probable cases were recorded (all deceased), was the second the country has experienced. Both this outbreak, which was declared on 20 January 2025, and the one in 2023 occurred in the north-eastern Kagera region.

In response to the latest outbreak, Tanzania’s health authorities set up coordination and response systems, with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, at the national and regional levels and reinforced control measures to swiftly detect cases, enhance clinical care, infection prevention as well as strengthen collaboration with communities to raise awareness and help curb further spread of the virus.

Growing expertise in public health emergency response in the African region has been crucial in mounting effective outbreak control measures. Drawing on experience from the response to the 2023 Marburg virus disease outbreak, WHO worked closely with Tanzanian health authorities to rapidly scale up key measures such as disease surveillance and trained more than 1000 frontline health workers in contact tracing, clinical care and public health risk communication. The Organization also delivered over five tonnes of essential medical supplies and equipment.

“The dedication of frontline health workers and the efforts of the national authorities and our partners have paid off,” said Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses, WHO Representative in Tanzania. “While the outbreak has been declared over, we remain vigilant to respond swiftly if any cases are detected and are supporting ongoing efforts to provide psychosocial care to families affected by the outbreak.”

Building on the momentum during the acute phase of the outbreak response, measures have been put in place to reinforce the capacity of local health facilities to respond to potential future outbreaks. WHO and partners are procuring additional laboratory supplies and other equipment for disease detection and surveillance and other critical services.

Marburg virus disease is highly virulent and causes haemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly. Patients present with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. They may develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days.

In the African region, previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.

Source: allafrica.com

Continue Reading

CCM ready to task state organs on Zanzibar Airport deal
Tanzania Foreign Investment News
Investment News Editor

CCM ready to task state organs on Zanzibar Airport deal

Ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi-Zanzibar has said it is ready to task state organs to investigate some of the claims against its government that have been raised by opposition politicians on the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (AAKIA).Continue Reading