• Congo warns Airtel, MTN over poor service; six-month deadline
• ARPCE audit finds regional gaps across 2G, 3G, 4G networks
• Sanctions possible if operators fail to meet standards

Congo's telecoms regulator has issued formal warnings to Airtel and MTN over persistently poor service quality. The two mobile operators now have six months to fix the issues identified and comply with regulatory requirements.

The decision, announced last week, follows a service quality assessment conducted Feb. 6–23, 2026, by the Agence de régulation des postes et des communications électroniques (ARPCE). The campaign covered 20 localities across the country, from Kouilou to Likouala, including Niari, Bouenza, Sangha and Plateaux. It assessed 2G, 3G and 4G networks for both voice services and mobile internet access.

Measurements were based on technical indicators such as call setup success rates, audio quality, connection time, internet speeds and signal stability while moving. Each parameter is subject to regulatory thresholds set by ARPCE. A color-coded scoring system allows performance comparisons across successive six-month periods and highlights areas where coverage and quality obligations are not being met.

Wide disparities across regions and technologies

The results show sharp disparities by region and technology. In the south, service quality is generally more satisfactory, particularly on 3G networks where both MTN and Airtel show solid performance, with MTN slightly ahead. The 2G network, however, still widely used in rural and remote areas, remains fragile for both operators.

4G performance is more uneven. Progress has been recorded, driven mainly by MTN, which has expanded coverage to several localities previously without mobile broadband. Airtel, by contrast, lags behind, with several areas still lacking 4G service, limiting access to more advanced digital services.

In the north, the situation is significantly worse. Overall performance is weak, particularly on 2G, where both operators recorded poor results in most of the localities assessed. On 3G, MTN maintains acceptable performance in some towns, while Airtel shows clear deficiencies, with several localities falling below regulatory thresholds.

The regulator notes that these results are partly due to structural limitations. Airtel relies entirely on Congo Télécom's fiber-optic infrastructure to route traffic from the northern regions to the rest of the network. Frequent outages on that infrastructure, which is essential for carrying data between nodes, have severely disrupted service quality. Forced to rely on a backup backbone with limited capacity, the operator has seen its performance deteriorate significantly.

Possible sanctions ahead

ARPCE said the warning sets a clear deadline and that the next assessment will serve as a “verdict,” indicating that enforcement measures could follow if no improvement is recorded.

While the regulator did not specify the measures under consideration, the legal framework provides a range of enforcement tools. The procedure begins with a formal warning, followed, in cases of continued non-compliance, by a penalty of up to 1% of the previous year's revenue. Based on revenue of 4.76 billion rand in 2025, MTN Congo could face a fine of about 47.6 million rand ($2.9 million). That amount can be doubled in the event of a repeat offense.

The law also allows for more severe action if violations persist. The relevant minister may shorten an operator's license term, suspend it temporarily or revoke it permanently.

Isaac K. Kassouwi