How Telenor Keeps Svalbard Connected at the Edge of the World

Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, situated halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, and is known for its dramatic glaciers, rugged terrain, and a population of polar bears that outnumbers humans. Despite being about as remote as it gets for a functioning community, Svalbard is a premier destination for Arctic adventures such as dog sledding, northern lights viewing, and polar exploration, with Longyearbyen serving as the main settlement and hub alongside communities like Ny Ålesund and Barentsburg. Remarkably, even in these tiny settlements and extreme polar conditions, residents and visitors can make voice calls, send texts, and stream photos, showcasing how modern connectivity thrives in one of the most isolated places on Earth.

The unique telecom landscape of Svalbard is shaped by its governance under the Svalbard Treaty and is part of the Kingdom of Norway. It uses the Norwegian country code (+47) and integrates into Norway’s telecom framework, but due to geography and policy, its connectivity looks very different from the mainland. Svalbard’s remote Arctic setting brings harsh weather and vast areas with no coverage outside major settlements, yet it remains connected to the global internet through the Svalbard Undersea Cable System, a twin submarine fiber link to northern Norway that provides essential bandwidth for both mobile and fixed telecommunications. In its early years, satellite links were vital for communication, but today fiber infrastructure has become the backbone, enabling more stable and higher capacity connectivity.

In Svalbard, Telenor Norge is the dominant mobile network operator and, in practice, the only company physically deploying cellular infrastructure across the archipelago. Telenor has a long and historic presence in Svalbard dating back to the early 1900s, when it provided some of the first telephone and radio services, and today it operates the region’s cellular networks, evolving from GSM to 3G and 4G LTE while also testing 5G for mission critical and emergency use in the uniquely challenging Arctic environment. Early GSM 2G coverage enabled basic voice calls and SMS, followed by the introduction of 3G services in Longyearbyen in the early 2000s, which brought mobile data for the first time. Today, 4G LTE is standard in populated areas such as Longyearbyen, Barentsburg, and Ny Ålesund, making Svalbard home to one of the northernmost LTE networks in the world, and as of 2025, 5G trials are underway for specialized use cases. As a result, residents, researchers, and tourists can access relatively modern mobile data, but only within the limited network footprint of town centres and nearby settlements.

地球上で3番目と4番目に北にある基地局。事業者はTelenor Svalbard pic.twitter.com/j09v53bVu9

— ぱおぱお (@paopao0128) January 31, 2026

In practice, mobile coverage in Svalbard is concentrated around a few key settlements and drops off quickly beyond them. Longyearbyen has the most comprehensive service, with strong 4G LTE coverage throughout the town and nearby areas, supporting calls, data, navigation, messaging, weather checks, emergencies, local transport, and tourism services. Ny Ålesund historically lacked regular mobile coverage due to strict restrictions on radio frequencies around research facilities, but Telenor has since installed a tailored mobile network there, making it the northernmost operational mobile station in the world. Barentsburg is also served by the network, although coverage is generally more limited than in Longyearbyen. Outside these towns there is no mobile service at all, and once you head into the wilderness for activities such as hiking or fieldwork, you are completely offline, which is why satellite communications like Iridium devices remain essential for polar expeditions and remote research.

Other operators can technically work in Svalbard, but almost always through Telenor’s infrastructure. Official licensing records show that a few Norwegian operators, including ICE and Telia Norge, hold mobile spectrum assignments for Svalbard, yet in practice Telenor is the only operator running live cellular infrastructure in the archipelago. Many smaller or virtual operators simply roam on Telenor’s network when in Svalbard, and real world reports from locals and travellers indicate that providers such as ICE rely on Telenor’s base stations because there is no alternative network in town. Telia and others may have spectrum rights on paper, but they do not operate separate physical networks in Svalbard. For visitors using Norwegian or international SIM cards, roaming agreements and coverage can vary, but when a phone does connect, it is effectively using Telenor’s network in these Arctic settlements.

Looking into the future, as Arctic activity continues to grow from tourism to scientific research, Norway is pushing the boundaries of mobile technology in some of the harshest polar conditions on Earth. Ongoing 5G trials aimed at supporting mission critical services such as coordinated rescue operations highlight how Svalbard remains a frontier for telecom innovation. Whether you are planning a journey north or are simply fascinated by communications in extreme environments, Svalbard’s mobile landscape shows that even near the roof of the Earth, staying connected is possible with the right network and careful preparation. 

Madagascar’s Operators Push Ahead in the Race for Connectivity

According to GSMA Intelligence, Madagascar had around 18.2 million active cellular mobile connections at the start of 2025. It’s worth noting that many people use more than one SIM or subscription, so mobile connection counts often surpass the number of individuals in the country. Someone might carry one line for personal calls and another for work, and the growing availability of eSIMs has made juggling multiple connections even easier.

In Madagascar, however, the total number of mobile lines has not yet overtaken the population itself. GSMA estimates show that in January 2025, active connections were equivalent to 56.2% of the country’s population.

The market has still been growing at a healthy pace. Between early 2024 and early 2025, the total number of connections rose by 1.4 mil, an increase of 8.5% year on year.

Most of these lines are already broadband-capable. GSMA’s data suggests that 84.6% of connections now run on 3G, 4G, or 5G networks. That doesn’t necessarily mean all of them are used for mobile internet, though, since some subscriptions provide only voice and SMS services.

The leading mobile operators in Madagascar are Telma (Yas), Airtel, and Orange. Market shares are Yas about 50%, Orange about 30%, Airtel about 7%, and SpaceX Starlink around 10% of Madagascar’s internet market as of 2024–2025.

As of early 2025, about 6.6 million Malagasy were online, roughly 20.4% of the population, leaving about 25.8 million people offline. 4G coverage reaches roughly 71% of the population, while overall mobile signal availability sits around 92%.

The market is highly concentrated, but rivalry among the major players is pushing network upgrades. The recent entry of satellite provider Starlink is also intensifying competition, particularly for internet access in underserved areas.

Yas, previously known as Telma Madagascar until its rebranding in late November 2024, is the long-standing market leader in Madagascar’s mobile telecom sector with approximately 5 million mobile subscribers.

In mid-2020, Yas made history by launching Africa’s first commercial 5G service in Antananarivo and Toamasina, in partnership with Ericsson. but broader rollout remains limited with only about 7% of the population having 5G access by 2025. Although the regulator ARTEC later raised technical and permission issues that temporarily delayed further 5G expansion, Yas continues to invest in its core network and fibre infrastructure, positioning itself for future advanced mobile deployments.

Airtel Madagascar is firmly positioned in second place in subscriber count, with around 4.9 million users. 

In May 2025, the company secured a forward-looking 15-year global operating license valued at $32.5 million, reinforcing its commitment to long-term infrastructure development and service expansion. In 2021, Airtel divested its passive tower infrastructure in Madagascar to Helios Towers for about $52 million, using the proceeds to reduce debt and fund improvements in its network and sales footprint. While Airtel has not publicly announced a 5G rollout plan, its strategic investments indicate reparatory groundwork for the future market shift.

Orange Madagascar holds the third-largest share of mobile subscriptions, trailing behind Yas and Airtel, with around 3.3 million customers.

In December 2023, Orange secured a €30 million comprehensive global license that empowers it to deliver services across multiple platforms, including mobile, fixed, satellite, and fiber networks. The agreement involves the deployment of up to 500 rural networking telecommunication sites under the NaaS business model in the east coast of Madagascar.

The operator planned to boost its population coverage from approximately 56 percent to 90 percent by the end of 2024, supported by a multilayered rollout of 500 new rural base stations through partnerships with NuRAN Wireless and AMN under a Network-as-a-Service model. Whether they have been successful is yet to be conformed. 

Although Orange has not yet launched full commercial 5G, it opened a local 5G Lab in September 2023 to showcase 5G technology and support co-innovations with businesses and developers.

Madagascar’s internet sector is entering a period of rapid change. Long hampered by limited coverage and fragile infrastructure, the country is now seeing fresh investment and new technologies that promise to narrow its digital divide. Mobile networks are steadily reaching deeper into rural regions, while the arrival of satellite services such as Starlink adds another layer of connectivity. Together, these shifts are setting the stage for what many describe as an internet revolution.

Currently Yas remains the dominant operator with pioneering 5G credentials. Orange is accelerating coverage expansion and pioneering 5G exploration through its innovation lab. Airtel is strengthening its position with strategic licensing and infrastructure reinvestments. For consumers in Madagascar, the immediate benefit continues to lie in improving 4G performance and wider coverage, while next-generation 5G adoption unfolds gradually.

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: Madagascar gets 5G but 2G, 3G & 4G coverage still very patchy 

Moldova's Telecom Evolution: From Legacy Networks to 5G Futures

Moldova, a small Eastern European nation, has developed a robust telecommunications sector, achieving extensive coverage in both wired and wireless communications. The country's compact size has facilitated the rapid expansion of mobile networks, ensuring that even remote areas have access to telephony services.

Data from GSMA Intelligence shows that there were 4.24 million cellular mobile connections in Moldova at the start of 2024. However, note that many people around the world make use of more than one mobile connection – for example, they might have one connection for personal use, and another one for work – so it’s not unusual for mobile connection figures to significantly exceed figures for total population.

GSMA Intelligence’s numbers indicate that mobile connections in Moldova were equivalent to 125.8 percent of the total population in January 2024. The number of mobile connections in Moldova increased by 946 (+0.02 percent) between the start of 2023 and the start of 2024.

Despite a wave of 3G shutdowns across Europe, many users continue to rely heavily on legacy 3G and 2G networks. These outdated technologies present unique challenges for operators and regulators seeking to modernize infrastructure while minimizing user disruption. According to OpenSignal Moldova has the highest Time on 2G/3G networks. 

Moldova’s telecom market is primarily dominated by three key players: Moldcell, Orange, and Moldtelecom.

Orange Moldova is a subsidiary of the French telecommunications company Orange and offers a wide range of mobile services.

According to nPerf Orange has emerged as a co-leader in 2024, with exceptional performance in Download bitrate and Latency, marking it as a key player in these categories. The operator also leads in Browsing, showcasing its robust capabilities in providing a seamless user experience. Orange has made substantial contributions to the market’s competitive landscape.

Established in 2000, Moldcell has been a prominent player in Moldova's mobile industry. In April 2024, marking its 24th anniversary.

Moldcell has solidified its position as a co-leader with a notable improvement in its overall score. The operator leads in Upload bitrate and shines in Video streaming, demonstrating its strength in these areas. Moldcell also maintains a strong focus on 4G, where it is the undisputed leader. Users benefit from enhanced streaming and upload capabilities, making it ideal for content creators and heavy data users.

Operating since 2007, Moldtelecom, may not be a market leader but is gaining ground and has a reliable network. 

Currently, all operators have isolated pockets of 5G coverage. However, with ANRCETI launching an auction in October 2024 for spectrum across 700 MHz, 900 MHz, 1500 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2600 MHz, 3600 MHz, and 26 GHz bands, the introduction of 5G in these frequencies is set to significantly enhance the user experience.

Namibia's Digital Transformation Journey Continues Unabated

Namibia, with its vast landscapes and scattered population, presents unique challenges for mobile operators. As of 2024, the mobile sector in Namibia has continued to grow steadily, with increasing investment in infrastructure, wider network coverage, and improved service offerings.

According to GSMA Intelligence, Namibia had 2.91 million mobile connections at the beginning of 2024. However, it's important to note that many people globally use multiple mobile connections—one for personal use and another for work, for instance—so it's common for the number of connections to surpass the total population. GSMA Intelligence data shows that, as of January 2024, mobile connections in Namibia equalled 110.8% of the population. This represents a decrease of 18,000 connections (or -0.6%) from the start of 2023 to the start of 2024.

The major players in Namibia's mobile telecommunications sector are Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) and Telecom Namibia, with other operators like Paratus offering specialized services. MTC’s market share in subscriber terms was 82% at the end of 2023 and Telecom Namibia at 17%. Paratus does not yet have a significant number of wireless subscribers, only 0.3%.

Mobile network coverage continues to increase across the country, with the regulator having urged the MNOs to focus investment in rural areas and thus support the government’s broadband coverage targets. The government in late 2023 lifted its moratorium against 5G deployments and the regulator followed by completing an auction of 5G-suitable spectrum in the 700MHz range. MTC began trialling 5G at the end of the year, while the regulator launched a campaign to educate the public about the benefits of 5G while dispelling the misinformation about the technology which had stalled its adoption earlier.

MTC is the first mobile phone provider with the most customers in Namibia and a pretty good coverage. It's the recommended network for travellers.  

MTC has retained its dominant position in Namibia's mobile telecom market, holding an estimated 84% market share, covering 98% of the population, and serving a customer base of 2.17 million, according to managing director Licky Erastus. The company has also aggressively expanded into the internet and fixed-line broadband market, achieving a 115% increase in revenue growth.

MTC's network now consists of 1,014 active sites, with 70% of these sites 4G-enabled, handling 50% of the company’s mobile data traffic.

Erastus noted that MTC initiatives continue to ensure that rural Namibians have access to the same mobile broadband experience as those in urban areas. In 2023, MTC upgraded 97 rural sites, 67 of which were equipped with refarmed spectrum to support 4G/LTE technology.

MTC and Huawei Technologies have held the country's first 5G technology demonstration in Windhoek after the government lifted a moratorium on 5G and allocated spectrum to telecom providers.

Minister of ICT, Emma Theofelus, hailed the event as a milestone for Namibia, emphasizing the importance of adopting advanced technology for national development. "This trial marks Namibia's commitment to leveraging technology for progress," she said, highlighting 5G's role in enabling e-governance, e-commerce, and e-health through faster connectivity. Huawei has previously partnered with MTC to bring 3G, 4G, and 4.5G technologies to Namibia.

Telecom Namibia Limited is the national telecommunications operator, established in August 1992 and wholly owned by the Government of the Republic of Namibia. Telecom Namibia is serving more than 619,000 (fixed and mobile) customers and annual revenue of more than N$ 1,4 Billion. Telecom Namibia runs the largest Digital Telecommunication Network in Namibia. The company is a leading supplier of voice, text, data and video solutions.

Telecom Namibia has entered into a five-year partnership with Huawei Technologies Namibia, aiming to enhance its mobile network capabilities and coverage nationwide. This collaboration is part of Telecom Namibia's Integrated Strategic Business Plan (ISBP) 2027, which outlines plans to invest in modernizing and expanding the TN mobile network. The initiative includes the deployment of new mobile base stations and upgrading existing ones across the country. Under the agreement, Telecom Namibia will acquire advanced mobile radio access equipment from Huawei to boost network capacity and coverage, particularly in underserved areas. This partnership will support the rollout of cutting-edge mobile technologies such as 4G, 4.5G, and 5G, providing consumers with faster, more reliable mobile broadband services.

Paratus Telecom holds licenses for 4G/LTE on band 3 (1800 MHz) in Windhoek and refarms its old WIMAX customers to 2600 TD-LTE (Band 38). It boast with the lowest prices for data in the country, but its network is limited to 4G/LTE.

Paratus is currently serving over 700 commercial and business customers across Namibia and quickly expanding into the residential and small business markets.  Additionally, Paratus is also now peering with four national and eight international interconnect operators to provide global calling plans.

The mobile telecommunications sector in Namibia is at an exciting phase, with major operators like MTC and Telecom Namibia leading the charge toward a more connected and digital future. However, significant challenges remain in terms of affordability, rural access, and staying competitive in the rapidly changing technological landscape. Despite these hurdles, the future looks bright, with a clear focus on innovation and expanding services to meet the needs of the entire population.

Namibia's journey to becoming a fully connected society will depend on sustained investment, collaboration between private and public sectors, and the continual evolution of mobile technology.

Related Posts: 

• The 3G4G Blog: 4G/LTE, 5G and Private Networks in Africa
• Operator Watch Blog: Data Usage Growing in Namibia but No 5G Please 

New Caledonia to Shutdown 2G and Launch 5G while Relying on 3G & 4G

New Caledonia, situated in the Southern Pacific, is a unique collectivity of France. A French collectivity is a territory that is governed by the French Constitution and has its own local government and regulatory authority. It operates independently from the European Union, exempting it from EU roaming regulations. As a result, international providers typically impose high roaming charges for usage within New Caledonia. Even French providers treat New Caledonia as an overseas destination, akin to certain other French overseas territories. Despite this, the archipelago boasts a robust telecommunications infrastructure, ensuring both residents and visitors have access to a diverse range of mobile services.

OPT-NC dominates New Caledonia's telecommunications landscape, holding a monopoly over fixed and mobile voice services, mobile internet, fixed broadband access, and wholesale services for other internet service providers.

The nation benefits from extensive 3G and LTE networks, contributing to one of the highest highest smartphone adoption rates in the Pacific region. Projections indicate that smartphone penetration will rise to 71% by 2025.

Mobile services operate on various frequencies depending on the location within the country: 2G operates on 900 MHz, while 3G operates on 900 MHz in rural areas and 2100 MHz in urban centers. 4G/LTE operates on 800, 1800, and 2100 MHz (bands 1, 3, 20).

L’Office des Postes et Télécommunications de Nouvelle-Calédonie (OPT-NC) stands as the exclusive operator, a public enterprise established in 2003. Its services encompass banking, postal, and telecommunications provisions, including landline, ADSL, and mobile phone services.

The 2G network is being phased out since 2022 and will cease to exist on 1st Jan 2025. The press release explains (translated from French):

OPT-NC has stopped deploying new 2G sites since 2019 and has been gradually shutting down the technology since the beginning of 2022 on sites in urban areas. The final shutdown is planned for 2025.

To confirm the definitive end of 2G technology, OPT-NC supports its customers by:

• Extending homogeneous 3G/4G coverage to the current 2G coverage; 
• Densifying the dimensioning of the mobile network so as to be able to properly absorb traffic;
• Deploying cellular Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, namely:
• the NB-IoT which will serve uses such as smart metering, smart city, smart agriculture;
• the CAT-M1 which is a network capable of responding to complex issues, mobility or real time. It will provide the same level of service as 2G for uses such as vehicle tracking.

OPT, in conjunction with the government of New Caledonia, is progressing with the implementation of private 5G networks. Earlier this year marked the initial stride toward integrating "private 5G" networks into industrial sectors within New Caledonia.

Olivier Amat, the director of telecommunications at OPT, elucidated the organization's strategy strategy regarding 5G. He recounted the evolution from 2G to 4G before delving into the potentials of 5G: "With speeds of up to 10Gbps, support for up to 100 times more connected devices per coverage area, a service life of up to 10 years for low-power IoT device batteries, 99.999% availability, 5 milliseconds latency, and 100% coverage." This progression serves as a testament to the advancements, leaving the limitations of 4G behind. Following some technical and tactical intricacies along with "ergotical" definitions, Olivier disclosed plans for local deployment of the technology, culminating with a compelling statistic: on average, each individual now consumes twice as much data in a single week as they did throughout the entirety of 2010.

Meanwhile Google is trying to make inroads into New Caledonia, due to its strategic geography in the Indo-Pacific region, where China and the US are waging a battle of influence over subsea internet cables.

French authorities recently said they had lifted a ban ban in New Caledonia on TikTok, which they suspect of fuelling recent unrest in the French Pacific territory. The government believes the app was being used by those opposed to French rule to communicate and organise violent protests.

The Status of Mobile Networks in Latin America

The Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) represents the voice of the mobile ecosystem with members including vendors, operators, academia and regulators. GSA has nine Executive Members, including Apple, Ericsson, Huawei, MediaTek, Nokia, Intel, Qualcomm, Samsung and ZTE. With a further 80+ Members and Associates, GSA draws its membership from across the global mobile ecosystem, including mobile operators, regulators, analyst firms, academia and an extensive vendor community spanning chipsets to devices, and network equipment to FWA and private mobile specialists. GSA is a Market Representation Partner in 3GPP and co-operates with other key organisations including ITU, GCF, CITEL, COAI, ETSI, GSMA, CEPT-ECC, ATU, and other regional regulatory bodies.

The first GSA report closely tracking the status of 4G and 5G network deployment in Latin America was published earlier this month. It uses the latest GSA data and draws on various GSA reports, including private mobile networks, to provide a comprehensive overview of the status of 4G and 5G roll-outs in the region. Quoting from the paper summary:

In recent years, Latin America has witnessed significant advancements in telecommunications technology, particularly in mobile networks. The proliferation of 4G LTE networks has transformed the digital landscape, enabling faster data speeds, enhanced connectivity and the widespread adoption of mobile broadband services across the region. Moreover, the advent of 5G technology promises to usher in a new era of connectivity, characterized by ultrafast speeds, low latency and greater security.

This report delves into various aspects of mobile network evolution including the status of LTE, the roll-out of 5G networks, advancements in LTE-Advanced, the emergence of 5G standalone infrastructure, the development of private networks and the switch-off of 2G and 3G technologies.

You can download the paper from this page here.

In this regional spotlight webinar, the GSA Research team was joined by senior representatives from telecom regulators, including Alejandro Navarrete, Head of the Radioelectric Spectrum Unit at IFT and ANATEL’s Deputy Superintendent of Granting and Resources, Mr Sidney Azeredo, to explore the challenges and opportunities for 5G in the region. During the webinar, the GSA Research team shared the latest data on:

• The status of LTE and 5G in the region
• Private Networks in LATAM
• Spectrum assignments, both recently completed and upcoming

Following the data snapshot is a roundtable discussion with regulators where the panel explores the market dynamics and what the future holds for 4G and 5G in their markets. The webinar is embedded below:

5G in Liechtenstein Gains Ground

The Principality of Liechtenstein (Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is one of Europe’s smaller countries nestled between Switzerland and Austria. It’s a German-speaking, 25km-long principality, known for its medieval castles, alpine landscapes and villages linked by a network of trails. It only measures 160 square kilometres. But it’s in a very special position. It's part of the EEA, so EU laws apply, but it's attached to networks of Switzerland too, where they don't.

Liechtenstein has 3 network operators: Telecom Liechtenstein (FL1, formerly Mobilkom Liechtenstein), Swisscom and 7acht (by Salt Mobile SA of Switzerland, formerly Orange CH).

It has an excellent coverage on 2G and 4G. Telecom Liechtenstein TLI) is the market leader in this country, but has no prepaid product so far. 4G/LTE has started with all three operators. Frequency bands 800, 900, 1800, 2100 und 2600 MHz (Bands 1, 3, 7, 8 and 20) were allocated. 3G on 7acht (Salt), Swisscom and Telecom Liechtenstein have been shut down by 31 Dec 2023, so for data service, you will need a 4G/LTE or 5G/NR capable device. For prepaid offers you need to turn to Swiss providers or roam with another EEA SIM card.

The Liechtenstein mobile phone system is attached to Switzerland. This means that customers of all three providers can roam in Switzerland on Swiss networks without additional fees. This applies to data too.

Telecom Liechtenstein (FL1) uses its partner network Salt for free roaming in Switzerland, while 7acht (Salt) and Swisscom are linked to their respective Swiss home networks.

Telecom Liechtenstein received approval to expand its 5G network the Principality of Liechtenstein in January 2023 by acquiring the rights to use frequencies through reallocation. TLI will expand its 4G/LTE network capacity and introduce 5G, the most powerful mobile communications standard currently available, to FL1 customers by mid-2023. The expansion will require FL1 customers to have an FL1 LIFE subscription and a 5G-capable smartphone. After the successful roll-out of the fiber optic core network in Liechtenstein, Telecom Liechtenstein and Nokia have also signed the contract to expand their 5G network.

Swisscom “Liechtenstein” is the largest mobile operator in Switzerland and also in Liechtenstein.

Hence, it is also the largest mobile operator in Liechtenstein. It is a mostly state-owned company (51%) with the best overall performance in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Salt Mobile “Liechtenstein”, just Salt Mobile or 7acht, is the smallest mobile operator in Switzerland. Hence, it is also the smallest mobile operator in Liechtenstein.

Türkiye is Still Waiting for 5G but 4.5G (LTE-Advanced) is Working Great

Couple of years back, Turkey officially changed its name to Türkiye and as such we will refer to them by their new name. 

Türkiye continues to develop its capabilities within its telecom sector, becoming one of the relatively few countries able to build and develop its own communications satellites. With the successful launch of the Turksat 5A and 5B satellites in 2021, the country has vastly increased its bandwidth capacity. These satellites will be joined by the Turksat 6A in early 2023.

In addition to these technological breakthroughs, the country’s operators have invested in fibre infrastructure, with Vodafone Türkiye having trialled a 1Tb/s service in late 2021 to support its 5G network backhaul and improve the quality of its fixed infrastructure.

Deployment of fibre-based broadband networks are well established, with fibre accounting for 26.7% of all fixed broadband connections as of early 2022. The DSL sector still dominates, accounting for about 63% of connections, but its share is steadily declining, year-on-year, while the number of fibre connections has grown strongly.

Improved fixed and mobile infrastructure is underpinning the country’s initiatives relating to Smart City concepts, which have become a key area of focus for the emerging digital economy and the transformation to a knowledge-based economy. Türkiye's National Smart Cities Strategy and Action Plan runs through to 2023.

There are three network operators in Türkiye : Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom (formerly called Avea).  

In 2015 the Turkish regulator auctioned off licenses on 800, 900, 1800, 2100 and 2600 MHz bands for 4G/LTE (Bands 3, 8, 1 and 20) . All three providers launched 4G/LTE in 2016. It has been marketed from the start as "4.5G", otherwise known as LTE+ or LTE Advanced, accelerated by carrier aggregation where available in major cities in all 81 provinces from the start. Coverage is generally quite good: Turkcell has the best, followed by Vodafone and Türk Telecom with the least.

The Turkish Government sought to be an early adopter of 5G, but plans have stalled and 5G spectrum has not even been auctioned at the time of writing this blog. European Commission's Türkiye 2023 Report notes that there was no progress reported in the procurement of 5G. Türkiye still needs to allocate additional frequencies for the development and predictability of the sector. In 2022, 94.1% of households had access to the internet, increasing from 92% the previous year.

In Opensignal's latest Türkiye Mobile Network Experience report, Turkcell wins five awards outright out of eight recognitions available, it retains both speed awards and Video Experience, while it also claims two newly introduced awards Live Video Experience and Coverage Experience. Türk Telekom turns two joint wins for Games Experience and Availability into outright victories, as Turkcell slips off the podium for both of these metrics. On top of these two wins, Türk Telekom is the sole recipient of Consistent Quality. For the third time in a row, Vodafone wins no awards, either outright or jointly.

Turkcell is the biggest operator in the country with the best coverage nationwide. 2G is on 900 MHz, 3G on 2100 MHz. In 2015 Turkcell’s population coverage was at 99.8% in 2G and 95% in 3G.

Turkcell launched their "4.5G" LTE in 2016 using tri-band aggregation of 800, 1800 and 2600 MHz frequency bands. 4G/LTE is free to prepaid. Turkcell is known to have the best coverage in the countryside.  

According to Statista, as of the second quarter of 2022, Turkcell’s mobile business had a market share of 41.3%, ahead of Vodafone at 30.4 %, and Turk Telecom at 28.3%. According to the company’s own figures, it had 42 million subscribers across fixed and mobile in Q2 2023; the mobile subscriber base reached 37.6 million in the same quarter.

In 2016 Türk Telekom rebranded its mobile network from Avea, but you see their old sign still sometimes. It's the smallest provider in Turkey in terms of coverage, but they have still good speeds in the cities and a fair coverage in the countryside.

2G is on 900 and 1800 MHz, 3G on 2100 MHz, 4G/LTE was launched in 2016. It still has the lowest coverage in the countryside, but is strong in cities.  

Türk Telekom serves more than 15 million broadband and 25.6 million mobile subscribers. As the company plays a critical role in leading Turkey's digital transformation, they sought to modernize their infrastructure supporting business-critical systems, including core billing and charging applications and databases.

Vodafone is the 2nd operator in terms of coverage. 2G on 900 MHz, 3G on 2100 MHz, 4G/LTE was launched in 2016. It has a good coverage in the country, slightly worse than Turkcell, but better than Türk Telekom.

The number of Vodafone Turkiye's mobile subscribers reached 25.4 million, by November 2023, the total number of mobile subscribers including M2M (Machine Inter-Machine Communication) reached 29.3 million . The company increased the number of postpaid subscribers to 19.1 million. While having 1.4 million fixed broadband subscribers.

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: 5G Development Strategy & Plan of Turk Telekom
• Operator Watch Blog: Turkey Plans 5G Rollouts in 2021 with Demand Expected from 2022 Onwards
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Turkcell Marks a 'First in the World in 5G' with Domestic Drone Technology
• Operator Watch Blog: Turkcell Group in 5 slides
• The 3G4G Blog: 4G / LTE by stealth 

4.5G Coverage is Good Enough for Comoros

The Union of the Comoros, an archipelago off Africa’s east coast with high levels of poverty, sought to improve communications, trade, and economic opportunities by expanding mobile communications and internet services. With support from the World Bank Group, the government liberalized the telecommunications sector, held an international tender, and awarded a second telecoms license. Through competition, Comoros now has better quality and cheaper telecoms services, as well as broader coverage. In a country with scarce government resources, the World Bank’s $32 million has made a substantial contribution by leveraging over $90 million in telecoms licensing fees and infrastructure investment.

Comoros has 2 mobile operators: Huri by Comoros Telecom (Comores Telecom) and Telma Comoros (Telma Comores). Both operators have 2G, 3G, and 4G/LTE networks. The following frequencies are used by the Comorian operators: 2G: 900 MHz, 3G: 900 MHz and 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20).

Until 2016 Comores Telecom (Comtel) was the sole provider of wireless, broadband and fixed line services on Comoros. Mobile services started in 2003 when Comtel launched a GSM-900 network under the brand name HURI.

2G started as late as 2002 and SIM cards were $100 at the beginning. 3G services started in 2013. Mobile penetration remained low in the Comoros. Many users were dissatisfied with Comtel's bad service and high prices while it had a monopoly. In 2018 they had to slash prices because of their new competitor.

Launching ceremony of the 4.5G network of #ComoresTélécom this morning at the head office #Comores #Telecom. As a reminder, the are two telecommunications operators (#Telma and #ComorosTélécom) and both of them are covering athe country with a wide 4G and 4.5G networks pic.twitter.com/JlDWsTJ1FC

— Yasser Mze Said (@YasserMze) July 17, 2018

From July 2018 they started to advertise with a "4.5G" network, so 4G/LTE seems to have be started on unknown frequencies (probably bands 20 and 3).

Telma Comoros, officially known as Telma Comores but will be referred to as just “Telma,” was awarded a license in 2015 to bring competition in the Comorian telecom market. They are an operator from Madagascar where they operate as Telma Malagasy. 

The launch of Telma Comores has expanded mobile services in Comoros, giving people high quality 4G LTE mobile broadband technology at lower prices. In response to this competition, Comores Télécoms has launched an even faster 4.5G network. By 2018, mobile broadband subscriptions rose to 58 per 100 inhabitants, and coverage is on track to provide all citizens with broadband mobile phone and inter- net services by 2030.

Telma doesn't block VoIP providers like Skype or WhatsApp calls. They also feature very cheap calls to neighboring French Mayotte. They might be the smarter alternative, once they have full coverage now. At least they brought the incumbent to cut prices.

Grenada is Slowly Progressing Towards High Speed 4G

Grenada is an island country consisting of Grenada itself and six smaller islands in the southeastern Caribbean. It's located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela, and southwest of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. About 126,000 inhabitants live on 348.5 km2 area.

Like on many Caribbean Islands there are these two usual providers: Digicel Grenada and Flow (by Cable & Wireless). Flow is the incumbent provider and Digicel came to the Caribbean 2001-6 to end this monopoly and has since become market leader in Grenada by aggressive marketing.

2G is on European bands while 3G is on US bands. Both operators have 2G/GSM on 900 and 1800 MHz. For 3G Flow uses 850 MHz (CLR band 5) while Digicel employs 1900 MHz (PCS band 2). 

Digicel Grenada, launched commercial 700MHz LTE network services in December 2018.

Flow addressed widespread criticism over the quality of its fixed broadband services by announcing it has spent XCD15 million (USD5.6 million) to provide faster web browsing for its subscriber base. As a result, they have been able to increase speeds from 15Mbps to 50Mbps, putting the country ‘on par’ with many developing nations.

Recently Grenadians have become more and more dissatisfied with the services provided by FLOW and Digicel. Many customers have reported losing money due to various reasons, including sudden deactivation of their numbers despite having substantial account balances. This issue raises significant concerns regarding transparency and accountability within these companies. Additionally, the quality of telephone and internet services provided by both FLOW and Digicel has been deemed unacceptable by many customers, particularly in rural areas where Flow Landline and broadband services have experienced prolonged outages.

In light of these failings, it is imperative that the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) in Grenada takes proactive measures to ensure that these companies meet accepted standards. If the NTRC fails to fulfill its responsibilities, it may be necessary for the government to intervene by considering potential changes in board membership.

Operators in Kyrgyzstan Cautiously Test 5G!

The Kyrgyz Republic, known as Kyrgyzstan, has the highest levels of mobile penetration across Central Asian (CA) countries — 159.9% with 2.94 SIMs per unique mobile subscriber, according to GSMA Intelligence. Despite being the second poorest country across CA, Kyrgyzstan came first regarding 4G Availability (the proportion of users of 4G-capable devices who spend most of their time on 4G networks). The National Development Strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic 2018-2040 is one initiative that facilitates digital transformation to hasten the country’s economic development. The State Communications Agency (SCA) stated in its annual report for 2021 that a total of 2,049 settlements across the country were covered by 4G LTE mobile networks at the end of 2021, equivalent to 96% of the country’s 2,130 officially registered cities, towns and villages. 2G mobile network technology extended to 2,088 locations (98%), while 3G networks were present in 2,081 (97%). Overall, 42 settlements (1.9%) were outside mobile network coverage, some due to a lack of power transmission lines.

Beeline Kyrgyzstan, Megacom,  and O! (Kyrgyztelecom) are the major mobile operators in the country. Megacom Kyrgyzstan, run by the state-owned Alfa-Telecom has started its rebranding campaign to MEGA following Megacom ownership transfer to the state-owned Kyrgyzstan State Development Bank. The operator announced that it expanded and upgraded its 2G, 3G, and 4G networks in seven regions and the capital of the Kyrgyz Republic. It plans to continue network coverage expansion across remote areas of Kyrgyzstan.

MEGA currently claims roughly three million mobile subscriptions, and its CEO Nurlan Mamytov stated that its strategic goals for 2023 include expanding the active user base, deploying at least 200 additional base stations in twelve months, upgrading network quality and data/internet speed, modernising existing technical infrastructure, further expanding the distribution/sales network, developing fintech services, and ‘creating favourable conditions for attracting large investments’.

In April of this year Mega launched Kyrgyzstan’s first VoLTE calling service. The IP-based 4G mobile voice service is available to compatible handset owners in all areas covered by MEGA’s LTE network, its press release claimed. VoLTE calls are provided at no extra charge to the user, with the cellco highlighting the technology’s benefits including fast call set-up time, high-definition sound quality and simultaneous high speed 4G mobile internet/voice connections.

Beeline is the biggest competitor of MegaCom in the country. They recently announced plans to leverage its parent group VEON’s partnership with satellite provider OneWeb to ‘become the first mobile operator in Kyrgyzstan capable of providing continuous communication and high speed internet to the most remote areas of the country, even those areas that have not had access to the network until now.’ Beeline said that the partnership with OneWeb will enable the elimination of digital inequality, ensure continuous communication in emergency situations ‘and increase the rate of economic growth of the population’ using high speed, low-latency satellite internet connectivity.

O! by Nur Telecom is the smallest of the three operators. Starting in Bishkek, Osh and Jalal-Abad, it offers 4G/LTE on 800 and 2600 MHz (B7 and 20). This has now spread to the country side and 97% of the population are covered in 2020 by LTE.

O! reported in August 2022 that they had conducted measurements of 5G data speed ‘which for the first time in Kyrgyzstan accelerated to 1.5Gbps.’ The company’s technical director Anton Kovalenko noted that ‘the launch of 5G into commercial operation is not far off, but it is too early to talk about a mass commercial launch, the transition will be phased.’ He added: ‘If [customers] are looking for a new smartphone, then in my opinion, it already makes sense to turn your attention to devices with support for the latest technology.’

5G in Kyrgyzstan is being tested in the n77 and n78 (3400MHz-3800MHz) frequency ranges, and will initially be integrated with existing 4G networks. O! expects its eventual 5G network to provide data speeds around ‘ten times faster than 4G’ with ‘average speed of 150Mbps-200Mbps.’

The mobile telecommunications sector in Kyrgyzstan is experiencing a dynamic phase with continuous efforts to improve network coverage, enhance service quality, and offer competitive pricing, mobile operators are striving to provide residents and visitors with an excellent mobile experience. As the industry evolves, customers can expect more advanced services, increased connectivity, and a vibrant mobile ecosystem in Kyrgyzstan.

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: ‘Health Concerns’ delay 5G pilots in Kyrgyzstan
• Operator Watch Blog - Emerging 5G Markets: Kyrgyzstan 

Little Appetite for 5G in Burundi with 4G/LTE Continuing Gaining Ground

Burundi, a small landlocked country in East Africa, has a rapidly growing mobile market with several operators competing for customers. While the country faces some challenges in terms of infrastructure and regulatory issues, the state of mobile operators in Burundi is generally positive, with reliable coverage and a range of services available to customers. 

Burundi is among those countries in Africa which largely depend on mobile networks for voice and data services. There is little in the way of fixed-line infrastructure outside the main towns, and most investment has been earmarked to improve the quality of mobile services and the reach of LTE networks rather than on extending the reach of fixed-line telecoms. Investment in national fibre networks generally supports mobile backhaul rather than fixed broadband services.

Almost all mobile subscribers are prepaid: there were only about 7,250 contract subscribers in late 2021, accounting for 0.1% of the total.

The number of mobile subscribers increased sharply in 2021, year-on-year, reaching about 8.1 million. As with the increase in the number of subscribers, the various different communication requirements which have resulted from restrictions aimed at controlling the pandemic since 2020 has resulted in a significant increase in voice traffic. The average number of voice minutes increased 25% between the fourth quarter of 2020 and the third quarter of 2021, while the number of SMS sent increased 50%.

There are four main mobile operators in Burundi: Econet Leo, Onatel, Lumitel, and Smart Burundi. Each of these operators offers a range of services including voice, messaging, and mobile data. As of the first quarter of 2022, the Burundian telecom market had 7,798,885 subscribers shared among these four operators.

Econet Leo was the first mobile operator to launch in Burundi in 2003. The company is a subsidiary of Econet Wireless International, a telecommunications group based in South Africa. Econet Leo has been able to establish itself as one of the leading mobile operators in Burundi due to its extensive network coverage and affordable pricing.  The operator provides standard 2G GSM services over 900 and 1800 MHz, and launched 3G UMTS services in July 2011. In March 2017 Econet Leo switched on 4G LTE over the B3 (1800 MHz) band initially in the capital Bujumbura and was slowly rolling out across the nation.

Lumitel is a relatively new player in the Burundian mobile market, having launched in 2015. The company is owned by Viettel, a Vietnamese multinational telecommunications company. Despite being a new entrant, Lumitel launched the first 4G/LTE network simultaneously in six provinces of the country in 2016 covering the core central parts of Bujumbura, Gitega, Ngozi, Rumonge Makamba and Muyinga. They have been able to rapidly expand network coverage and had approximately 3 million subscribers as of 2021.

Onatel is another major player in the Burundian mobile market. The company was founded in 1978 and was initially a state-owned telecommunications provider. However, in 2006, Onatel was partially privatized, and Vivendi, a French multinational media conglomerate, acquired a 51% stake in the company. They offer mobile services under the brand name "Tempo" and provide a range of services including voice, messaging, and mobile data. The company has an extensive network coverage, with its services available in all provinces of Burundi. In addition to mobile services, Onatel also offers fixed-line and internet services to its customers.

Smart Burundi is the fourth mobile operator in Burundi, having launched in 2019. The company is a subsidiary of Smart Africa, a pan-African telecommunications company. Smart Burundi has been able to establish itself in the market by offering affordable pricing and a range of innovative services. 

However the Agency for Regulation and Control of Telecoms (Agence de Regulation et de Controle des Telecommunications, ARCT) in Burundi has reportedly shut down Smart Burundi over its failure to settle its tax arrears and the expiration of its operating licence on 27 July. The ARCT requested Smart to cease all operations on 18 August at which point it reputedly owed around USD3.2 million in arrears. Further, the regulator noted that whilst Smart had filed to have its licence renewed in March this year, its failure ‘to provide the certificate of non-accountability requested by the Burundian Revenue Office which must confirm that the telecom company owes nothing to the tax authorities’ meant that its concession subsequently lapsed.

Overall, the Burundian mobile market is competitive, with each of the four main operators offering a range of services at affordable prices. The government of Burundi has also taken steps to improve the country's telecommunications infrastructure, including investing in fiber-optic networks and promoting the deployment of 4G technology. With continued investment in infrastructure and the rollout of 5G technology, the Burundian mobile market is poised for further growth and innovation in the years ahead.

Seychelles Plans to Introduce 5G and Competition

Situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean with less than 100,000 inhabitants, the Seychelles is Africa’s least populous sovereign nation.

There are two mobile operators in the Seychelles: Airtel Seychelles and Cable & Wireless Seychelles. 

The following frequencies are used in Seychelles:

2G: 900 MHz

3G: 2100 MHz

4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20)

5G NR: unknown

Commercial 5G NR has been available in Seychelles since June 2020 with Cable & Wireless Seychelles. However, 5G NR is currently only available to postpaid customers. It is unknown when prepaid customers can get access to 5G NR networks. Moreover, it is unknown when Airtel Seychelles will launch 5G NR and whether it will be available to prepaid customers from the start or not.

Airtel Seychelles has more than a 50 percent share of the mobile market in the country. It was the first company to launch prepaid mobile services in 1999 and gradually upgraded its network to 3G and 4G connectivity. According to Amadou Dina, Managing Director of Airtel Seychelles.

“Airtel Seychelles is among the top four companies in the world in terms of telecommunications. We have almost 98 percent smartphone penetration and 95 percent 4G penetration in the country.” 

C&W Seychelles competes closely with Airtel in this duopoly mobile market. Recently C&W revealed that it has carried out a network optimisation project including adding extra 4G LTE and 5G mobile base stations to strengthen capacity, data speeds and coverage. The company – which launched 5G services in July 2020 – stated in one of the posts: ‘We can confirm we have rolled out more 5G and LTE mobile sites … more customers can access much faster LTE and 5G in more areas than before.’

In a parallel project, C&W announced that it is constructing new cell tower sites to mitigate poor call drop rates in certain network sections, with 13 new tower sites deployed in September 2022, out of a total of 25 planned for completion by the end of October. So far, the towers have been deployed in zones with weak cell coverage in the following areas: Anse Royale/Les Canelles, Anse Faure, La Salette, Piton, Bougainville, La Gogue, Anse Reunion, Le Niole, Ma Joie, Morne Blanc, Providence, St. Louis and Sunshine House.

This duopoly mobile market may soon be disrupted by Intelvision, a fixed broadband and pay-TV provider in the Seychelles, which has revealed a plan to enter the mobile market with a network rollout in partnership with Chinese vendor Huawei. Intelvision has been assigned 5G-suitable mobile frequencies, whilst in October 2019 the operator revealed a strategy to enter the mobile market in partnership with Huawei, although its initial plan to begin 4G/5G network rollout in 2020 was delayed. 

5G to Help Greenland Connect Over Vast Distances

Greenland, an island of just 56,000 people, is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but has broad autonomy. Greenland has, by law, only one service provider for telecommunications and the Internet, TELE Greenland, which is fully owned by the Greenlandic Home Rule government. TELE Greenland provides switched telephone and data, land mobile communications, and VHF and MF shore-to-ship communication. This type of monopoly is not uncommon in Greenland.

The state-owned TELE Greenland A/S Group was the main telecommunication and postal provider in Greenland and its headquarters are in Nuuk. It also operated the only mobile network in the country. TELE Greenland A/S was rebranded as Tusass in 2021 and all phone and postal services are under the Tusass label now. Tusass is Greenlandic slang for "talk to you later".

2G and 3G is on 900 MHz, 4G has started 2013 in Nuuk on 800 MHz (band 20) and is in these towns in 2015: Nuuk, Qaqortoq, Ilulissat, Sisimiut, Maniitsoq, Aasiaat and airport Kangerlussusuaq. Every settlement with more than 70 inhabitants has at least 2G coverage, but most areas of the country are uninhabited. Detailed coverage maps you can find here. At the end of 2018 their 4G/LTE coverage has risen to 92% of the population.

Ericsson has been contracted by Tusass to build a 5G network in Greenland, initially covering three towns. A further 10 towns, including Greenland’s capital Nuuk, are set to follow next.

Deploying Ericsson equipment and Netgear routers, Tusass intends to bring high-speed wireless internet to the sparsely populated island without resorting to expensive and hard-to-deploy cables.Tusass says it plans to invest around 1 billion Danish crowns ($131.3 million) to secure and expand Greenland's infrastructure and improve communication.

According to Jenny Lindqvist, head of Northern and Central Europe, Ericsson, a 5G network will help those living in Greenland “connect over vast distances,” a necessity in a country considered to be the least densely populated territory in the world. Only 56,000 people live in Greenland’s 2.16 million square kilometers.

“From a broad perspective, this partnership serves the digitalization of Greenland, from enabling use cases for control of critical infrastructure and remote devices to bringing new entertainment services for the people,” Lindqvist said. “Regardless of how challenging the project is or extreme the weather conditions, Ericsson remains committed to create a wireless Greenland together with Tusass.” 

Greenlandic telco Tusass (previously TELE Greenland) will be closing 3G connections in 2023 because "spare parts are no longer produced, because support services are no longer provided...". Some fishermen may be affected.https://t.co/iYZKlfW0wA#2G #3G #3G4G5G #2G3Gshutdown

— Zahid Ghadialy (@zahidtg) December 22, 2022

In December 2022 Tusass revealed that it is planning to shut down its 3G services in 2023, in line with global trends. Tusass said that it took the decision to discontinue the technology ‘because spare parts are no longer produced, because support services are no longer provided and new technologies surpass the efficiency and quality of the old ones’. The operator disclosed that it will notify customers at least three months before the fixed shutdown date.

Nepal is Taking Right Steps in Direction of 5G

Unfortunately Nepal's telecom sector has several topographical and economic constraints which have impeded efforts to expand network infrastructure and improve the quality of service for end-users.

The fixed line market remains underdeveloped, and as a result most traffic is channelled via mobile networks. Fixed broadband penetration remains very low, though to address this the government has initiated several programs as part of the Digital Nepal Framework and the wider Optical Fibre Backbone Network Expansion Project, started in 2012. Supported by the Rural Telecommunications Development Fund, the programs include building out fibre backbone infrastructure and using this to provide broadband to schools and community centres nationally.

Operators have also invested in fibre networks, and competition in the market is intensifying. Cheap fibre-based services launched by CG Net in mid-2021 prompted responses from other ISPs to provide faster and more competitively priced offers.

Nepal’s mobile market is relatively developed, with a focus on LTE. In 2021, the regulator considered a range of spectrum bands which could be used for 5G.

Nepal has three GSM mobile operators: Nepal Telecom (state owned), Ncell (owned by Axiata) and Smart Cell (by Smart Telecom, limited coverage on 2G, 4G/LTE; no 3G).

2G is on 900 and 1800 MHz and 3G on 2100 MHz. In 2016 the government of Nepal begun the process of converting existing wireless licences to technology neutral permits, enabling operators to use their current 900 MHz for 3G and free their 1800 MHz (B3) frequency holdings to offer 4G/LTE services. 4G/LTE has been launched by all three providers in 2017. Due to its mountainous territory, coverage can be very spotty and data speeds extremely slow outside the Kathmandu central valley or Pokhara.

Nepal Telecom (NTC) is the state owned, national provider in Nepal. It has a monopoly on landlines and broadband, but competes with Ncell for mobile customers. 

NTC uses 900 Mhz for 2G and 2100 Mhz for 3G. Simultaneously, it runs a CDMA network too which will be switched off by 2021. GSM-coverage is slightly lower than Ncell. Until 2017 only about 60 3G sites have been installed and on air including Banepa, Bhaktapur, total 59 sites in Kathmandu and 1 site in Pokhara.

4G/LTE has started as first provider in Nepal in 2017 on 1800 MHz (B3) only in the Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara only opened for prepaid. NTC signed 40,000 LTE users in two weeks alone. In 2019/20 the 4G network was expanded and it has 4G coverage at these locations.

Nepal Telecom has a total of 18.95 million mobile broadband users where 7.26 million are 3G users, 11.55 million are 4G users and 136,573 are EVDO users. Just last year Nepal Telecom (NT) marked its 18th anniversary by announcing the commercial launch of VoLTE services, enabling customers with a compatible handset to enjoy high definition voice calling over its 4G network and simultaneous use of voice and high speed data services.

Nepal Telecom had originally planned to kick off 5G trials in mid-July 2021, but the timetable was delayed after a change of government prevented assignment of the additional spectrum resources required. Having finally been granted a testing permit and 60MHz of frequencies in the 2600MHz band the following November, NT then encountered further problems with equipment delivery, while plans to finally start the trial last month were thwarted by the extremely low number of compatible devices. The operator intends to launch test networks in all seven provinces of the country by the end of its current financial year (mid-July 2023).

Ncell is the no.2 in Nepal with a total of 8.88 million mobile broadband users where 1.93 million are 3G users and 6.95 million are 4G users.

Its 2G is on 900 and 1800 Mhz and reaches 90% of population, 3G is on 2100 Mhz in about 20 of the biggest towns. Ncell Coverage Map. Ncell is the better provider in the country, but there are still many areas uncovered and don't expect high speeds.

The start of their 4G/LTE was further delayed in 2017 by taxation issues and was finally launched in June 2017 on 900 and 1800 MHz in the Kathmandu Valley, including the areas of Nagarkot, Banepa and Dhulikhel. In summer 2017 the cites of Biratnagar, Birtamode, Damak, Dharan, Bharatpur, Hetauda, Birjung, Bhairahawa, Butwal and Nepalgunj were added to the 4G/LTE network. In 2019 seven of the country’s provinces and over 1,000 locations nationwide are covered, making it Nepal’s most extensive 4G network.

In September 2022 they announced the commercial launch of their VoLTE service, providing customers with superior quality HD voice and faster call connectivity. The new service is activated free of charge and is currently available on selected Samsung, Vivo and Huawei handsets. Customers enabling the service will receive 100 bonus minutes of on-net talk time valid for 28 days. Launched in June 2017, Ncell’s LTE network has been expanded to areas of more than 70 districts and now covers approximately 85% of the country’s population.

Smart Telecom is the third telecom operator in the country, they only has 2G and 4G services in its Smart Cell brand. They have a total of 127,551 subscribers to their 4G service.

They are on 2G/GSM on 1800 MHz. In 2017 a license to use 4G/LTE was granted to Smart and in October 2017 Smart has finally launched its long-awaited 4G/LTE service, with the company stating that it is now live in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and Pokhara. The new 4G service offers customers speeds of up to 70 Mbps. Smart Telecom has been granted 10 MHz of frequencies in the 1800 MHz (B3), while its two competitors Nepal Telecom (NT) and Ncell have only been allocated 5 MHz each in this spectrum band.

Related Posts:

• Operator Watch Blog: Nepal has long way to improve 4G and start thinking about 5G