Wireless Networks

Algeria to get 5G as Mobilis, Djezzy and Ooredoo commence rollouts

Algeria to get 5G as Mobilis, Djezzy and Ooredoo commence rollouts

Algeria’s Ministry of Post and Telecommunications has officially announced the launch of 5G rollouts following the approval of 5G licences issued to Mobilis, Djezzy and Ooredoo.

The ministry’s announcement on Wednesday evening comes around five months after Algeria’s Postal and Electronic Communications Regulatory Authority (ARPCE) granted the licences to Mobilis, Djezzy and Ooredoo in July. The licences – which cost the three telcos a combined DZD63.9 billion (around US$492 million) – were officially confirmed and gazetted by executive decree last week.

According to various media reports, as of Wednesday, all three operators are now authorized to start rolling out 5G services, with eight provinces to serve as pilot areas initially. Under the government’s national plan, Mobilis, Djezzy and Ooredoo are required to reach nationwide coverage within the next six years.

Mobilis, Djezzy and Ooredoo have been testing 5G technology for some time in cooperation with ARPCE. As far back as 2023, Ooredoo Group contracted Nokia to upgrade its mobile networks in Algeria and Tunisia and make them 5G-ready. In February, Mobilis announced that its 5G tests had yielded downlink speeds of 1.2 Gbps.

A report from Algerian news site Horizons quoted Minister of Post and Telecommunications Sid Ali Zerrouki as saying the launch of 5G will support the government’s national strategy of modernising its telecoms infrastructure and boosting its digital economy.

The Algerian government aims to leverage technologies like AI, IoT and cloud computing to drive innovation in healthcare, Industry 4.0, education, and smart mobility, Zerrouki said.



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