• Mozambique's telecom regulator is reviewing bids from three operators for 5G spectrum in the 700 MHz, 2.6 GHz, and 3.5 GHz bands.
• No commercial launch date has been set, and the rollout will come with coverage obligations, including rural and underserved areas.
• Only 20.5% of Mozambicans have internet access, and 4G still doesn't reach a sixth of the population.

Mozambique is moving toward a commercial 5G rollout. The country's telecom regulator, INCM, is currently reviewing the technical, economic, and regulatory merits of bids submitted by the country's three main operators — Tmcel, Vodacom Mozambique, and Movitel — for spectrum in the 700 MHz, 2.6 GHz, and 3.5 GHz bands. The bids were opened publicly on April 17.

Those frequency bands were chosen for their ability to balance territorial coverage, network capacity, and service quality. Operators that clear this evaluation phase will be authorized to begin a phased commercial 5G deployment across the country.

That deployment will come with strings attached. INCM has set coverage obligations requiring operators to expand their networks progressively at the national level, with specific attention to rural areas, peri-urban zones, and areas with high economic and social impact. High standards of network quality and performance will also be required.

No firm commercial launch date has been announced. Pilot tests were conducted in 2025 across all provincial capitals, but the path to full commercial service remains undefined.

The 5G push also comes with a stark backdrop. According to the International Telecommunication Union, 4G covered 84 percent of Mozambique's population in 2024, while 3G reached 86 percent and 2G 88 percent. Internet penetration stood at just 20.5 percent — meaning the country is preparing to deploy next-generation technology while a large share of its population has yet to benefit from the last one.

Cost is another factor. Ericsson estimates the initial cost of deploying 5G in a given country at between $3 billion and $8 billion, with an additional 20 to 35 percent in investment needed to achieve full national coverage.

Isaac K. Kassouwi