5G techn penetration gains root in TZ

DODOMA: THE FIFTH-Generation Mobile Communications Technology (5G), which enables the delivery of high-speed internet services, covers 15 per cent of Tanzania’s population, according to the latest communications figures released by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA).

TCRA Director General Dr Jabiri Bakari says in the April-June quarterly statistics that the 5G technology, introduced in Tanzania in 2022 had penetrated two per cent of the country by June this year.

The penetration was one per cent in March this year.

Some 754 Base Trans ceiver Stations (BTS) and nodes for 5G services have been deployed countrywide, promising better quality internet access to more Tanzanians.

Highspeed internet is critical for the digital economy. Mobile Communications Technologies emerged from the first generation (1G), which was analogue and for voice

only, through the second (2G), for voice and short messages, the third generation (3G) for voice, messaging and data, the fourth (4G) which adds highspeed internet to the aforementioned services.

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Deployment for the other technologies was 11,777 for 4G, 12,366 for 3G and 13,470 for 2G base stations respectively in June.

Dr Bakari said that 3G services coverage increased from 88 to 89 per cent of the population between April and March this year and geographical coverage from 72 to 73 per cent during the same period.

He said 4G population coverage increased from 80 to 83 per cent and geographical coverage from 64 to 69 per cent.

Internet subscriptions increased by seven (7) per cent, from 36.8 million by March 2024 to 39.3 million in June.

Internet access is the number of lines, including SIM cards and fixed lines that have accessed and used Internet services in the last three months.

Over 90 per cent of subscribers access the service on mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and modems.

Dr Bakari added that smartphone penetration increased to 31.6 per cent from 30.5 in March 2024.

Average internet download and upload speeds improved from 11.4 to 12 megabytes per second for mobile broadband between April and June.

The statistics also show that businesses and individuals using the national domain name (dot tz) increased from 29,968 in March 2024 to 30,698.

TCRA regulates and manages the dot tz domain name, which formally identifies Tanzania in cyberspace and technically proven more efficient and secure.