10 June 2022

Ethiopia’s state-owned telecom company Ethio Telecom (ET) launched a 5G mobile network in the capital Addis Ababa, after it was granted temporary approval for the use of the spectrum by the Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA).

For this launch, the incumbent operator benefited from the technical expertise of China’s Huawei and said the service will be expanded to other parts of the country in the coming months.

ET described the service, available from just six base stations, as pre-commercial.

“In the next 12 months, we will have 150 5G sites in Addis Ababa and outside Addis Ababa,” said Frehiwot Tamru, chief executive, Ethio Telecom.

The operator’s 5G launch is part of the incumbent’s efforts to strengthen its telecom infrastructure and service quality in response to the upcoming commercial war with the launch of a second player in the domestic telecom market.

ET’s introduction of 5G is expected to enable the state-owned company to bring ultra-broadband to the people of Ethiopia and build customer loyalty. “We will continue to deploy 5G sites in other areas based on feasible commercial demands,” the company said. “However, our full commercialization of the service depends on the readiness and demand of the ecosystem players: the readiness of customers to use the service, the availability of 5G-enabled devices and smartphones, the need and readiness of businesses to use the service.”