(Ecofin Agency) - Mozambique's state-owned telecommunications company, TMCEL, has begun the second phase of a project to modernize and expand its mobile network across the country. The project, which is scheduled to last until 2023, began in the province of Maputo. 

TMCEL will install new 2G and 3G equipment, and extend 4G and 4.5G technologies throughout the country. The company also plans to upgrade and increase the transmission capacity of the entire optical fiber backbone.

This initiative is part of TMCEL's ambition to conquer the national telecom market. It aims to become the main telecom company in Mozambique in the coming years, ahead of Vodacom and Movitel. The first phase of the project was carried out in 2019. The operation focused on the installation of 4G technology in the cities of Maputo and Matola.

For this second phase, TMCEL will rely on the technology and expertise of equipment manufacturer Ericsson, with whom an agreement was signed in November 2020. This agreement has a duration of five years.

Once completed, this second phase will enable the incumbent company to reach the most remote communities with quality services. "This network upgrade will also contribute to the promotion of financial inclusion and electronic money transactions in the formal and informal sectors, through mKesh, whose new platform was recently introduced," the telecom company said.

Isaac K. Kassouwi