Mozambique Telecom, which operates under Tmcel, known as the third leading telecom operator in the national market, will deploy its 5G mobile network in the next few months with the technical expertise of Huawei.
Binda Jocker, chief operating officer for Telecom Mozambique explains that the country will deploy 5G networks in strategic areas in line with targets set by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, adding, "We are prepared to accelerate the rollout of the commercial 5G network at scale."
The project is part of Tmcel's network upgrade and expansion program ongoing since 2019. An expansion contract worth USD 23 million was signed with Huawei to test 5G in Maputo. Tmcel's investments reflect its ambition to capture the national telecom market, and the company entered the market in January 2019 after merging with Telecomunicações de Moçambique “TDM” and Mozambique Cellular “Mcel”.
Also, Tmcel wants to outrun its current competitors, Vodacom, and Movitel, in the upcoming years. The 5G "will boost Tmcel's capacity and user experience with significantly faster network speeds, which are up to ten times the speed of 4G," said Jocker. Thus, the 5G is expected to open up new revenue opportunities for Tmcel both in consumer and enterprise markets, and Manuela Rebelo, deputy minister of transport and communications, believes that the 5G will change public and private services in a positive way, promoting the country's economic development.
