from ALLOYCE KIMBUNGA in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
Tanzania Bureau
DAR-ES-SALAAM, (CAJ News) – TANZANIA is spending Sh9,14 billion (US$3,5 million) to upgrade telecommunication towers from 2G to 3G and 4G.
This is part of a major site project under the Universal Communication Services Access Fund (UCSAF), as announced by Eng. Albert Richard, Director of Operations, Research and Development at UCSAF.
Speaking at the just-ended eighth Tanzania Annual ICT Conference (TAIC), he said in the current year (2023/2024), some 431 sites were to be upgraded.
“Currently, 427 sites have been upgraded,” Richard said at the summit in Dar es Salaam.
He confirmed that 135 more were planned for the full year 2024/25.
In the same vein, UCSAF, since its launch in 2017 is expanding communication in 1 507 wards with 1 643 towers built. Some 500 more are in the pipeline, the official added.
A World Bank-aided project is to add 758 towers set to benefit 8,5 million people, thus improving ICT access in underserved areas.
According to the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), the East African country has achieved 39,3 million internet users by the middle of 2024.
With an estimated population of more than 68 million people, Tanzania aims to achieve 80 percent broadband penetration by 2025.
This is under the Digital Tanzania project, supported by the World Bank and mobile network operators, who are phasing out 2G.
– CAJ News