Tanzania Mobile Operators Complete Merger
Tanzanian mobile operator Zanzibar Telecom Public Limited Company (Zantel) recently announced the completion of the combination with its sister company MIC Tanzania Public Limited Company…
In the past five years, mobile subscriptions in Tanzania rose by 21%, from 39.7 million in 2014 to almost 48.1 million in 2019. With a population of 56 million, mobile penetration reached 86% in 2019.
There are eight mobile network operators (MNOs) in Tanzania: Airtel, Smart, Smile, Halotel, Tigo, TTCL, Vodacom, and Zantel.
Vodacom holds the largest market share of the mobile market with 31%, followed by Airtel (27%), Tigo (26%), Halotel (13%), Zantel (2%), TTCL (1%), and Smile (0.002%).
So far, mobile operators have invested around USD 2.6 billion in Tanzania. Investments are primarily focused on network infrastructure which is driving mobile broadband coverage expansion.
Tanzania mobile internet penetration has nearly quadrupled from 2010 to 2018, to reach 18.5%, with more than eight million new mobile internet subscribers added over that period.
Despite this growth, two-fifths of the country’s population still remain offline and excluded from the socioeconomic benefits of the internet, and around a fifth of the population, representing 11 million people, are not covered by a mobile broadband network.
The most common broadband service in Tanzania is given through 2G connections, which offers a speed of up to 0.3 Mbps and is used by 90% of the mobile subscribers in Tanzania.
In the end of 2018, 3G and 4G networks covered around 61% and 28% of Tanzania’s population respectively.
The World Bank (WB) sponsored the Digital Tanzania Program which aims to assist the country to harness its digital potential and ensure that all citizens have access to high-quality, low-cost connectivity, that public services are easily accessible online, and that the digital economy is driving growth, innovation, and job creation.
The Program will be delivered in two phases:
Phase I (2018–2022) will focus on strengthening Tanzania’s core Digital Foundations – closing the connectivity gap, increasing market competitiveness and investment, and strengthening digitally enabled service delivery infrastructure and capacity within the government.
Phase II (2021–2026) will focus on Tanzania’s digital acceleration – leveraging improved connectivity and enhanced capacity for public digital service delivery to accelerate the growth of the digital economy, encourage private and public innovation utilizing digital technology, and support the expansion of digital public services offerings across key sectors.
Phases I and II will involve significant collaboration with other stakeholders, including mobile operators and the private sector.
Tanzanian mobile operator Zanzibar Telecom Public Limited Company (Zantel) recently announced the completion of the combination with its sister company MIC Tanzania Public Limited Company…
According to the latest telecoms statistics for Q2 2019 published by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), overall mobile network subscriptions in the country reached…
A new report titled “Digital Transformation in Tanzania” indicates that two-fifths of Tanzania’s population still remain offline and are excluded from the socioeconomic benefits of…
According to the latest telecoms statistics for Q4 2018 published by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), overall telecom subscriptions reached a record high of…
According to the latest telecoms statistics for the period April – June 2018 published by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), subscriptions to mobile networks…
Tanzania will see the launch of an 8th mobile network provider, Azam Telecom, part of the local industrial conglomerate Bakhresa group, owned by Tanzanian entrepreneur…
The latest Quarterly Communications Statistics Report by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) for the period October-December 2017 shows that total Voice Telecom Subscriptions reached…
The Parliament of Tanzania has published a new bill on 15th September 2017 to establish a state-owned Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation that will replace the current…
Tanzania’s mobile operator Tigo has announced a USD 75 million investment to improve both network availability and quality across the country.
Tanzanian mobile network operator (MNO) Vodacom has started today its IPO for 560 million shares at TZS 850 per share.