Mozambique expects to sign partnerships to introduce fifth-generation (5G) mobile network technology in urban centers and rural areas by 2030, at the fifth communications conference, featuring over 300 participants and global companies from the sector.
“At this conference, what will essentially impact the telecommunications services subscriber is that we are going to start creating a plan for the introduction of 5G technology, which will begin in the major urban centers, but rural areas cannot be left out. It is important that we design a plan for rural areas,” said Salomão David, the spokesperson for the event that aims to debate the future of the communications sector and its role in the country’s digital transformation.
The 5th National Communications Conference, organized by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Mozambique (INCM), will take place between June 22 and 23 in the city of Maputo, under the theme “Communications as the pillar of Digital Transformation in Mozambique: Connectivity, Inclusion, and Resilience,” as advanced by Salomão David, who anticipates the creation of bilateral partnerships.
According to the spokesperson, the event brings together more than 300 participants, including policymakers, regulators, operators, academics, representatives of civil society, and national and international partners, including 62 speakers and global companies from the communications and technology sector.
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“Essentially, these are bilateral agreements, the allocation of next-generation licenses (…). And these are not merely financial agreements; on the contrary, they are great news for the telecommunications system in Mozambique,” said Salomão David.
The three Mozambican mobile operators, namely the state-owned Tmcel, Vodacom Moçambique, and Movitel, submitted proposals to implement the fifth-generation (5G) mobile network, aiming to accelerate the digitalization of the economy and promote new digital services and applications, the regulator announced in April.
According to a note released by the INCM at the time, the proposals aim for the allocation of frequencies in the 700 MHz, 2.6 GHz, and 3.5 GHz bands, which are considered essential to guarantee an efficient balance between territorial coverage, network capacity, and quality of service—fundamental pillars for the development of fifth-generation mobile networks.
The communications conference will run parallel to Digital Week and the Ministerial Alliance for Digital Nations of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), initiatives which, according to the official, provide “a greater international dimension to the meeting and broaden the debate around building 21st-century digital governments.”
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Among the various topics to be discussed at the event are digitalization, connectivity and innovation, communication service tariffs, and market competitive dynamics, in addition to combating fraud, service interoperability, and digital identity.
Salomão David also expects solutions for the deployment of 4G technology in districts, villages, and some remote areas of the country, which is currently used in urban centers, while recognizing the challenges that arise with the expansion of technologies.
Mozambique currently stands at 82% coverage in terms of telecommunications services, as indicated by the spokesperson for the fifth conference, who expects to have at least 96% of the country covered by 2030.
“We will have to look for and find ways to identify them, map them, and also use our universal access service fund to ensure that these locations also have coverage. The idea is that from this year’s fifth conference, no one is left out of the telecommunications system,” added Salomão David.
