The new edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report predicts that the total number of mobile subscriptions in Sub-Saharan Africa is going to grow from 1.05 billion in 2025 to 1.31 billion in 2031, with 5G subscriptions making up almost 28% of the market by that time.

It is well to be noted that in addition to being fastest-growing 5G subscriptions region, Ericsson also anticipates legacy 2G and 3G networks to contract significantly in that period as 4G and 5G grow more dominant. Of the two, 4G will continue to dominate, with 490 million subscriptions in 2025 expanding to 610 million in 2031 and thereby representing 46% of the market.

It predicts that average monthly data usage per active smartphone in Sub-Saharan Africa will increase from 5.3 GB in 2025 to 12 GB in 2031. The overall mobile data traffic in the region is projected to increase from 2.8 EB per month in 2025 to 9.7 EB per month by 2031.

According to Alain Maupin, VP and head of Ericsson East and North Africa at Ericsson Europe, Middle East and Africa, Alain Maupin, “As digital transformation scales across the continent, the rise of AI and uplink-heavy applications, such as XR and autonomous devices, will fundamentally change traffic patterns.”

The planned roll-out of 4G and 5G is a massive opportunity for the region to accelerate its transition into the AI era, declared VP and head of Ericsson West and Southern Africa, Majda Lahlou Kassi.

He further added that “by transitioning away from legacy networks, we are building the foundation for a vibrant, inclusive digital economy. With the right collaborative investments in spectrum and policy frameworks, Africa is positioned to fully participate in, and benefit from, the AI boom.”

But the distribution as well as adoption of 5G in Sub-Saharan Africa will probably look significantly different. So far, 36 out of the 54 African countries have implemented 5G in some form, although some remain in the pre-commercial stage, and most have coverage restricted to major urban centres, high-traffic hotspots, as well as tourist areas.

The affordability of smartphones continues to be one of the primary obstacles to the adoption of both 4G as well as 5G. The GSMA Handset Affordability Coalition said that smartphones ought to be priced in the US$30-40 range so as to unlock widespread use in developing nations where cost affordability continues to be a major barrier. 3.1 billion people have mobile coverage, but they do not have access to the mobile internet, based on GSMA estimates.

Earlier, Omdia, the consulting group, said that although the smartphone shipments to Africa recorded a 14% year-on-year surge in Q4 2025, the firm anticipates those numbers to drop by 22% in 2026, with low-cost devices especially being hit due to component inflation.

Omdia also pointed out that in certain markets, import duties as well as the cost of living are also impeding the adoption of basic smartphones.

The fact is that Nvidia is indeed betting big that telecom providers are ready to hand over the controls to their networks. The new autonomous AI agent platform of the company, presented at DTW Ignite 2026, will change the way telecom infrastructure is operated – right from human-led automation to AI that can autonomously make decisions 24/7.

As per a recent announcement from NVIDIA, telecom operators have already achieved outstanding returns when it comes to network management and customer care in the wake of generative AI deployments. But these gains have been restricted to task automation – systems that accelerate predefined steps, while humans manually connect insights and direct next steps. NVIDIA’s pitch? Automation is not the end line, but it is the launchpad to autonomy.

It does make a difference. Automating tasks speeds up repetitive work. They make logical choices, respond to evolving conditions, and execute complex operations without waiting for human approval. That difference could equate to billions in efficiency in operations for telecom operators handling millions of nodes in the network and customer interactions concurrently.

NVIDIA is right on time as companies roll out AI. Companies from different sectors are transitioning from AI copilots that support workers to AI agents that are autonomous. Microsoft, Google as well as OpenAI have all introduced agent frameworks in the recent months, but the one from NVIDIA is aimed at a particular vertical with bespoke infrastructure needs.

Autonomous AI is uniquely difficult for telecom networks. Customer service chatbots, along with code generation tools, are trained on data, but network management agents have to handle huge amounts of real-time data, anticipate failures of equipment before they occur, and organize failovers throughout geographically dispersed systems. And they need to be able to clarify their choices to human operators and regulators, a requirement for trust that has slowed the adoption of AI in mission-critical systems.

While it has not provided technical details about how its agents will deal with these challenges, its experience within AI infrastructure makes it a credible player. Its GPUs already enable inference and training for most massive language models, and its AI Enterprise software suite offers the foundations that telecom operators will need to set up agents safely. The question is if operators are prepared to trust AI with independent decision-making in live production networks.

Early generative AI use cases in telecom revolved around lower-risk applications such as summarizing calls to customer service, creating network configuration templates, and automating routine maintenance tickets. These use cases provided value without risking network outages or service disruption. Autonomous agents that control network traffic, allocate resources, and counter security threats on their own represent a far bigger leap in operational trust.

But the economic pressure to adopt is growing. As 5G rollouts accelerate and data traffic soars, telecom operators are facing rising infrastructure costs. Skilled network engineers are becoming harder to find, and their labor costs continue to rise. Tier-1 as well as tier-2 operations can be run by AI agents that are running 24/7, do not require instruction on new equipment, and can scale instantly across global deployments.

The announcement places the company as far more than a chip supplier but an enterprise AI platform provider battling it out with cloud giants. Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure as well as Google Cloud have their own AI agent frameworks, but NVIDIA has deep domain experience in computational performance and real-time inference, which is what telecom applications need.

But the larger implications are not just for telecom. If NVIDIA can demonstrate that autonomous agents are reliable in network activities, one of the most difficult enterprise environments, it could pave the way for equivalent deployments within energy grids, manufacturing plants, logistics networks, and financial systems. And all industries with intricate infrastructure and 24/7 operational requirements are suddenly potential customers.

What actually remains unclear is a business model. NVIDIA could as well license the new autonomous AI agent platform straight to telecom operators, integrate it with its AI Enterprise software, or implement it in infrastructure gear by partnering with network equipment vendors. The company’s historical bias towards new autonomous AI agent platform plays over verticals indicates a licensing approach that would enable operators to personalize agents for their own telecommunications networks.

The autonomous agent field is expanding rapidly. Anthropic recently released Claude agents for enterprise workflows, OpenAI is trialing agents in ChatGPT Enterprise, and Vertex AI from Google offers tools for building agents. But none have unveiled vertical-specific platforms for telecom operations, giving NVIDIA a competitive edge in a huge market.

The timing of the DTW Ignite also matters tactically. The event draws telecom executives who are making purchasing choices for next-generation infrastructure. NVIDIA showcases autonomous agents at industry flagship conferences, positioning itself early in budget cycles as well as technology roadmaps. In the coming months one can expect to announce partnerships with leading equipment vendors and begin deployments with tier-1 carriers.

NVIDIA’s push into autonomous agents is a calculated bet that enterprise AI is ready to transition from assisting to being autonomous. Telecom operators find the assurance of 24/7 self-managing networks an attractive proposition, provided the technology is reliable at scale. The company’s AI infrastructure strength presents a credible base, but moving that into production implementations throughout live telecom networks will call for demonstrating trustworthiness beyond research demonstrations. If NVIDIA is successful, it’s not just growing its telecom business; it will also establish the standard for autonomous agents in all sectors with critical infrastructure. This is a far bigger incentive than just chip sales.

It is well to be noted that the platform is designed to enable operators to provide AI services such as mobile data plans and charging usage based on tokens via current customer billing systems. Mavenir said operators will still have control when it comes to pricing, service-level contracts, and the models that fundamentally support the interactions with AI.

As per Mavenir, integrated AI platform for telecom operators is compatible with three operating models. They may employ it to deliver custom-branded AI services to subscribers, provide an AI infrastructure foundation for AI grid deployments, or offer managed AI features to enterprise customers on a token-based consumption basis.

Notably, the system is built on Red Hat AI and Kubernetes infrastructure via Red Hat OpenShift. The architecture is built to offer operators a versatile, sovereignty-centric platform that can run on-premises models as well as custom small language models when it comes to routine workloads, remarks Mavenir.

In addition to this, the platform also provides policy-controlled access to external frontier AI models for operations that require advanced logic or multi-modal abilities. Mavenir says operators can choose which model is taking which demand, who is paying for it, and how it is going to be billed.

Mavenir says token-based AI consumption goes on to act as familiar data-usage models, which implies that operators can make use of standard billing and service management systems so as to establish new revenue streams from AI. AI token plans that are monthly and enterprise quotas as well as SLA-backed AI service tiers could go on to open a new layer of monetization on top of connectivity, it said.

The combined AI platform integrates the AI software platform from Mavenir with enterprise Kubernetes along with the AI capabilities of Red Hat, running on verified hardware from third-party partners. The platform boasts intelligent model routing, token optimization, AI platform-as-a-service as well as MLOps capabilities, billing integration, token charging, closed-loop service assurance, and zero-trust identity controls as well as AI-specific security.

When it comes to enterprise customers, the platform allows operators to provide fee-based access to AI models, compute resources, and AI tools as value-added services. Operators can make use of it as the compute and AI fabric for network-embedded AI applications as well as third-party workloads to deploy an AI grid.

Operators can also use the platform to offer AI-powered products directly to subscribers, such as AI assistant plans charged by token consumption and AI-enhanced network services as well as operator-branded AI apps.

Mavenir says the platform is intended to promote new AI revenue streams, foreseeable AI economics, data privacy, and contract SLAs for operator-managed AI services, as well as enterprise-grade security. The company will present the platform at DTW Ignite 2026 on 23-25 June.

Let’s be honest – with the rise of AI services, telecom companies are looking for ways to get more than just connectivity revenue. Token-based billing would enable operators to bundle AI services in a conventional commercial model, leveraging prevailing client relationships, billing platforms, and service level agreements.

The announcement also marks an overall change in AI infrastructure. By integrating on-premises models with independent data controls and limited access to frontier models, operators can become AI service providers for consumers and enterprises as well as network-embedded applications and not just connectivity providers.

Traditional networks go on to deliver data in bits, which results in high investments in terms of infrastructure and energy. Semantic communication, on the other hand, emphasizes comprehending messages, not exact replication. This new approach could as well help cut down on data traffic and infrastructure expenses, offering a greener solution.

The possible effect on artificial intelligence is deep. Imagine if AI agents could share summaries or abstracted information; it could go ahead and revolutionize efficiency in communication.

The CEA has built a strong reputation in the field of semantic communications, in particular by means of progress in AI, signal processing, and network intelligence. They are involved in European and Asian projects, such as those of the Future Networks as well as France 6G programs. Their continued contributions can be noted in projects such as 6G-GOALS and 6G-DISAC as well as 6GARROW.

The fact is that Orange has clearly mapped out its roadmap for the future network ecosystem. The group is actively involved in research and standards formation with a large number of researchers, along with active patents. They participate in some of the flagship initiatives such as the SUSTAIN-6G and Hexa-X projects and world alliances.

This partnership is another sign of commitment from Orange to lead tomorrow’s standards. It is about reducing future carbon footprints of the company while at the same time enhancing the performance of infrastructure, opines the executive vice president of research at Orange, Lyse Brillouet.

Anne-Isabelle Etienvre, who is the general administrator of CEA, agrees. She sees the revolutionary potential of semantic communications. The involvement of CEA is an important step forward in allowing Europe to shape technological architectures and to strengthen the technological sovereignty of the continent.

This partnership between Orange and CEA can be seen as a major step forward in the advancement of telecommunications and could as well set standards for global innovation along with sustainability.

The company is seeking to make the implementation of AI infrastructure easier by acting as a single provider when it comes to data centres, power generation, connectivity, and associated infrastructure.

Helix is going to meet the increasing demand from hyperscalers as the increase in investment across the digital infrastructure is driven through AI workloads.

Helix Digital Infrastructure with $10bn will be led by Adam Selipsky, who was the former Amazon Web Services CEO. Selipsky will lead as CEO while KKR Global Head of Digital Infrastructure Waldemar Szlezak will join as chief investment officer.

The company said it planned to invest in transmission infrastructure, fibre networks, and hyperscale data centres as well as power generation. Nvidia will be a strategic technology partner to assist with deployments built on its AI factory architecture, and Vistra will be the chosen power supplier for Helix.

KKR said the launch comes as AI happens to be driving one of the largest infrastructure constructions in history, with the need for data centres and electricity rising exponentially. Industry estimates say that trillions of dollars will be needed worldwide in the next decade in order to support AI-related infrastructure.

According to Helix, it will provide hyperscalers a more uniform approach to infrastructure installation, reducing the complexity of engaging with multiple vendors throughout power and connectivity as well as data centre construction.

As per the CEO of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, the demand for AI infrastructure is continuing to rise rapidly as cloud providers compete to boost AI capacity.

Notably, the company is supported by KKR’s infrastructure platform, which holds over US$100 billion in infrastructure assets worldwide. Following the first round of funding, Helix remarked that it is accessible to more institutional investors.

Introducing Ericsson AI in RAN

• AI models for telcos designed to run in real time inside the radio access network – RAN
• High-quality data for persistent learning software at scale.
• Agentic AI support to help with advanced RAN automation as well as network operations

According to Head of Networks Strategy & Product Management at Ericsson, Mårten Lerner, “Ericsson is redefining what’s possible in mobile networks by bringing powerful AI capabilities to service providers. With AI in RAN software, we are taking a major step toward AI-native networks, alongside the AI-ready radios we unveiled in February.”

The telco-grade AI models from Ericsson are optimized for ultra-low latency estimation in the microsecond range, with high robustness and dependability in varied and dynamic RAN environments. These models combine deep domain knowledge with training in terms of high-quality data, setting new standards as far as performance and efficiency are concerned.

Lerner adds that “service providers need networks that are high-performing, secure, and efficient in the AI era. With AI in RAN, Ericsson is bringing AI into networks to elevate 5G performance and efficiency through energy-efficient AI inference at scale.”

Have Been Proven in Commercial network deployments

Ericsson AI in RAN works along with Ericsson 5G Advanced on both purpose-built as well as cloud RAN platforms so as to unlock new AI-powered services. It represents the realization of the AI from the company for networks’ vision, using AI to improve the performance and productivity of networks. The aim for AI in RAN is to employ the right AI model in the correct section of the radio network, with Ericsson Silicon to drive energy-efficient AI inference within radios, and the most recent versions of RAN Compute and the portability of cloud RAN software mean AI capabilities can be implemented across partner platforms.

It is well to be noted that the first AI in RAN features will be available in Q2 2026, with additional enhancements coming later in 2026 itself. Software features involve AI-powered macro positioning, an AI-native scheduler for link adaptation, AI-managed beamforming, performance management event schema files, AI-powered multi-layer coordination, and augmented observability for AI in RAN.

AI in RAN from Ericsson is indeed proven in over 15 deployments and trials throughout the globe, offering up to 20% higher downlink speed and up to 10% better spectral performance. It also enables as much as 2x more high-traffic users, 90-95% accuracy of predictions of coverage, and almost 5x greater accuracy of user positioning.

As per Senior Vice President & CNO, SoftBank Corp., Teruyuki Oya, “Ericsson’s AI in RAN software marks an important step in bringing AI deeper into the radio access network. By enabling real-time optimization of radio performance, spectrum efficiency and user experience, it helps us turn AI innovation into practical value on live networks. We also see strong potential in how this foundation can support emerging AI-driven services, including physical AI scenarios that depend on low-latency, highly reliable connectivity and intelligent coordination between network and compute resources.”

Remarks Senior Vice President, Network Technology & Operations for Bell, Bruce Dean, “At Bell, we’re continuously evolving our network to meet growing demand for high-performance, AI-driven services. Integrating AI directly into the RAN is an important step in making networks more intelligent and efficient. Working with partners like Ericsson, we’re bringing these capabilities into our network to enhance performance, improve energy efficiency, and deliver a better experience for our customers.”

According to Head of Network Technology Office, SK Telecom, Yu Takki, “Through our collaboration with Ericsson, SK Telecom is advancing AI-RAN to enhance network performance and energy efficiency while supporting more intelligent and automated operations. By combining research, real-world validation, and software innovation, we aim to strengthen our leadership in AI-powered network evolution and help lay the foundation for AI-native 6G.”

The Chief Technology Officer at Rogers, Mark Kennedy, opines that “As Canada’s best 5G+ network, we’re proud to work with Ericsson and bring the latest 5G technology to Canadians. AI in RAN will help optimize network performance for customers in real-time and reduce energy consumption.”

Principal Analyst at Mobile Experts, Joe Madden, says that  “This could be the best ROI for mobile operators in years. With a software upgrade, operators can squeeze more capacity, better observability, and more accurate location-based services out of the 5G network they bought years ago.”

Interestingly, Ericsson has embedded AI functionality throughout its products since 4G while also adding AI-ready acceleration in RAN Compute in 2021. In February 2026, the company launched neural network accelerators in its massive MIMO radios, boosting AI inference power by 10x.

The alliance forms part of the 5-Year Integrated Strategic Business Plan of Telecom Namibia’ which is aimed at fostering sustainable growth, boosting market share and improving the customer experience via strategic partnerships as well as innovative solutions.

It is well to be noted that the agreement is based on an open-access infrastructure model, enabling Telecom Namibia to connect to the fibre network from Lightstruck to provide high-speed internet services to both residential as well as business customers. This is consistent with the goals outlined in the 2025/26 Annual Operating Plan – AOP by Telecom Namibia that is designed to fast-track fibre rollout and accelerate digital transformation throughout the country.

Lightstruck is a network facilities licensee, authorised by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia – CRAN as an open-access infrastructure provider liable for the installation, upkeep, and operation of fibre networks. The partnership will enable Telecom Namibia to take advantage of the infrastructure of Lightstruck to deliver IP-based services across its end-users, guaranteeing superior quality and dependable connectivity.

This collaboration that fast-tracks fibre links is also of critical importance to address the persistent problem of copper theft and network vandalism. Telecom Namibia is stepping up the move from copper-based infrastructure to fibre, which will lower its reliance on theft-prone assets, especially in high-risk areas. Fibre networks are not only quicker and more reliable; they are less susceptible and hence offer a more stable network and a more consistent and safe service for customers.

The partnership is built on a completely managed OPEX-based model which allows Telecom Namibia to efficiently grow the footprint of its services while upholding high service standards. Services will be delivered and operated via the service portal from Lightstruck, delivering a streamlined operation and better customer experience.

According to Dr Stanley Shanapinda, the Chief Executive Officer of Telecom Namibia, “The signing of this partnership with Lightstruck marks another key milestone in our fibre expansion journey. It reflects our commitment to leveraging open-access networks to accelerate connectivity, enhance customer choice, and deliver innovative, high-quality digital services. Through this collaboration, we are embracing infrastructure sharing as a strategic approach to avoid duplication of efforts, fast-track network deployment, and improve overall efficiency in the sector. At a time when copper theft remains a daily occurrence and continues to disrupt services, the transition to fibre strengthens the resilience and reliability of our network infrastructure. We are confident that this partnership will significantly strengthen our ability to provide reliable broadband solutions and contribute meaningfully to Namibia’s digital transformation.”

Says Director at Lightstruck, Mr Szacky Nujoma, “We are proud to partner with Telecom Namibia in advancing fibre connectivity across Namibia through an open-access model. As a neutral infrastructure provider, our focus is on enabling service providers to deliver high-quality services over a reliable network. This collaboration underscores the value of shared infrastructure in driving competition, efficiency, and improved access to next-generation connectivity. We are particularly encouraged by the strong commitment from shareholders, who are prepared to invest the necessary capital, and therefore do not foresee any funding constraints. We are excited about this partnership and the meaningful impact it will have in accelerating Namibia’s digital transformation.”

As part of the deal

• Lightstruck’s open access network is to be used by Telecom Namibia so as to provide services to end-users.
• Lightstruck deploys and maintains fibre infrastructure and networks.
• Provisioning and managing services via Lightstruck’s service portal.

Interestingly, Lightstruck’s network has gone live in Rocky Crest, Osona Village, Khomasdal, Dorado Park, and Rehoboth, enabling Telecom Namibia customers in these areas to immediately access fibre services via this partnership. Both organisations are well placed to use current fibre infrastructure so as to speed up fibre take-up and enhance broadband accessibility in these areas. The partnership also provides a migration path for present Telecom Namibia customers to fibre-based services, in which coverage is accessible, allowing them to access faster, more dependable connectivity.

The partnership that fast-tracks fibre links brings together broad customer base and service capabilities from Telecom Namibia with the growing open-access fibre network Lightstruck as the demand for rapid, reliable and dependable internet continues to rise. The partnership is anticipated to improve customer engagement and drive the broader digital evolution of communities and businesses throughout Namibia.

Nokia will supply low- and mid-band next-gen 5G and AI RAN technologies in order to build a high-performance and AI-ready network that is capable of handling rising demand for digital services as part of the agreement.

The upgrade is anticipated to enhance network capacity, coverage, and efficiency, allowing for responsive applications and services, including immersive entertainment and gaming. It also matches with the long-term plan of IOH to broaden digital access throughout the archipelago of Indonesia.

The enhanced network infrastructure will also enable enterprise use cases throughout various sectors such as public services and industry as well as digital services.

Justin Hotard, Nokia CEO, said that the future of networks will be characterized by how operators integrate connectivity and intelligence as well as scale. The collaboration with Indosat and NVIDIA, according to him, is to expand 5G coverage and enable novel services and business models that are powered by AI.

The companies stated the project goes well beyond conventional network upgrades and establishes connectivity as a foundation for intelligence by adopting AI-RAN technology. AI-RAN combines AI workloads and radio access networks on a common infrastructure, offering efficiency and new possibilities when it comes to AI services.

As part of the initiative, Indosat and Nokia, as well as Nvidia, plan to start AI-RAN trials in the field within Indonesia by the end of 2026.

Together with Indosat, we will be able to further enhance the operator’s capability to provide a more seamless digital experience while supporting the inclusive digital transformation goals of Indonesia, said Vikram Sinha, the Indosat president director and CEO.

According to Senior Vice President of Telecommunications at Nvidia, Ronnie Vasishta, Indosat and Nokia are showing what a 5G network looks like when it turns into the platform for intelligence. Building on their AI-RAN collaboration and working towards field trials in Indonesia, they are shaping an architecture where AI as well as connectivity can work together in order to drive productivity, facilitate new applications, and promote digital transformation at scale.

The move is part of an attempt to revitalize the traditional carrier as digitization becomes a national priority.

Charles Borome Razafimahatratra, the new CEO of GETESA, announced a rapid and short-term plan whereby network modernization is an important aspect.

The plan was recently presented to the Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue.

A Tech Refresh

With an objective by Equatorial Guinea to bolster its digital infrastructure, the initial phase of the strategy will last 12 months. This involves optimizing the national telecommunications network, broadening mobile as well as internet coverage, and, in general, digitally transforming the business by purchasing modern equipment.

The program also looks forward to reactivating the country’s fibre optic network, which at present has been utilized only by SEGESA, the national electricity company, so as to link its power substations.

Apparently, other important efforts include the introduction of 5G services and the establishment of public Wi-Fi networks throughout the cities of Bata, Malabo, and Oyala and also in rural and urban communities throughout the country.

The strategy also includes regular improvements to the energy as well as technical infrastructure of the company. The other significant aspect is the full digitalization of operations from GETESA with a paperless management system with a view to lowering logistics expenses. The company also plans to introduce a financial platform referred to as Getesa Money, which will offer electronic payment services.

The roadmap also includes restoration of international roaming as well as launching of eSIM technology.

Connectivity problems continue

The modernization effort comes amid significant obstacles for telecommunications network of Equatorial Guinea. Cyberteq, a consulting firm, went ahead and did an audit, the inferences of which were presented in April 2026. It identified quite prominent shortcomings when it came to network speed, equipment, and capacity, as well as technical planning.

The report also cited aging infrastructure along with slow data transmission speeds in addition to dropped calls due to congestion on the network.

Cyberteq presented an itinerary to address these shortcomings by upgrading technology, boosting network capacity, and implementing an investment strategy so as to improve service quality as well as expand coverage, in accordance with the digital transformation goals of the country.

Also in April 2026, Mason, the consulting firm, recommended that Equatorial Guinea connect to the Medusa submarine cable, which would serve as the second international undersea cable of the country. The project will have a price tag of anywhere between €20 million and €60 million, which is equivalent to $23.3 million to $70 million, and aims to minimize internet downtime and improve network reliability and service quality. The infrastructure is anticipated to be fully operational between 2029 and 2030.

A Basis for Digital Transformation

Once repaired and fully operational, the GETESA network could serve as the foundation of the digital transformation strategy of Equatorial Guinea. Better facilities and service quality could speed up the digitalization of the national economy, with connectivity being an essential tool for both the private and public sectors.

When it comes to households, improved connectivity would enhance accessibility to important digital services such as communications, online learning, mobile financial services, and entertainment platforms. Better digital infrastructure would help businesses become more competitive, grow the scope for e-commerce, boost the uptake of cloud-based services, and allow more sophisticated digital management tools to be used.

By the end of 2025, Equatorial Guinea had 885,000 mobile subscribers, with a mobile penetration rate of 45.4%, as reported by DataReportal. The country also had 1.18 million Internet users, or 60.4% of the overall population.

The latest expansion of 4G LTE in Ethiopia is part of the ongoing program from Ethio telecom for network modernization as well as broadband expansion, with the goal to expand LTE coverage far beyond major urban centers as well as regional capitals.

Operator details show that Oromia, along with Amhara, forms the biggest portion of the new towns connected, making up about two-thirds of the most recent rollout. Smaller expansions have been reported in the Gambella, Benishangul-Gumuz, and Somali as well as Afar regions.

The regional distribution illustrates a continuous effort to expand broadband availability to high-population areas, in addition to historically underserved populations, in support of broader digital connectivity goals along with broad access to standard mobile broadband services.

The expansion comes as Ethio telecom operations are speeding up network modernization. Over the course of time, the operator has carried out several LTE expansion initiatives and upgrades to its infrastructure in an effort to broaden broadband coverage and enhance service quality across the country.

The rising demand for mobile financial services, online education, digital commerce, and government digital platforms continues to push the want for faster and, of course, more dependable connectivity beyond the major urban centers of Ethiopia. The extended LTE coverage is anticipated to enable these services and promote digital inclusion throughout newly connected communities.

This latest rollout is a further move in the ongoing efforts made by Ethio telecom to expand access to high-speed mobile internet services in the wide range of geographical areas throughout Ethiopia.