Zambia's telecom regulator consults on 5G spectrum
Zambia's government has pressed on with developing 5G services in conjunction with Huawei, its preferred vendor and an existing technology partner. Huawei is upgrading the state-owned network managed by Zamtel with 5G-enabled equipment.
The MNOs are considered to have sufficient capacity with their LTE networks that they are not too pressed to invest in 5G, and can afford to wait until such time as a range of cheaper devices becomes available, and the additional capacity provided by new cable networks connecting to Zimbabwe and the DRC have their effect on reducing internet access pricing.
In July 2021 the regulator launched a public consultation on its proposal for auctioning spectrum in the 700MHz, 2.6GHz, 26GHz, and 3.5GHz bands for 5G use. The mix of bands, covering a wide range to encompass urban and rural scenarios, was considered suitable to meet MNOs' requirements for capacity and coverage.
Table of Contents
Key statistics- Regional Africa Market Comparison
- Market characteristics
- Market Leaders
- Market Challengers
- Market Emergents
- TMI vs GDP
- Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
- Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration
Country overview
- Telecommunications market
- Market analysis
Regulatory environment
- Regulatory authority
- Fixed-line developments
- Mobile network developments
Mobile market
- Market analysis
- Mobile statistics
- Mobile data
- Mobile broadband
- Mobile infrastructure
- Major mobile operators
- Mobile content and applications
Fixed-line broadband market
- Introduction and statistical overview
- Fixed-line broadband technologies
Fixed network operators
- Zamtel
Telecommunications infrastructure
- ZESCO
- Liquid Intelligent Technologies (LIT)
- National backbone networks
- Data centres
- International infrastructure
Digital economy
- E-health
- E-learning
- E-government
- E-banking
Appendix Historic data
- Glossary of abbreviations
- Related reports
List of Tables
- Table 1 Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Zambia 2022 (e)
- Table 2 Voice interconnection rates for operators (ZMW/minute) 2013 2021
- Table 3 SMS interconnection rates for operators (ZMW per message) 2013 2021
- Table 4 Change in annualised mobile ARPU 2012 2021
- Table 5 Growth in the number of registered SIM cards 2012 2021
- Table 6 Growth in the number of active mobile subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Table 7 Development of mobile market revenue and capex (ZMW million) 2012 2021
- Table 8 Development of SMS and MMS traffic 2012 2021
- Table 9 Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Table 10 Change in the number of mobile sites by platform 2016 2021
- Table 11 Development of mobile geographic coverage by operator 2012 2021
- Table 12 Development of Airtel Zambia's financial data (ZMW million) 2012 2021
- Table 13 Growth in the number of Airtel Zambia's mobile subscribers 2014 2021
- Table 14 Development of MTN Zambia's financial data (ZAR million) 2012 2022
- Table 15 Development of MTN Zambia's financial data (ZMW million) 2016 2021
- Table 16 Change in MTN Zambia's mobile service revenue (ZAR million) 2018 2021
- Table 17 Growth in the number of MTN Zambia's mobile subscribers 2012 2022
- Table 18 Decline in MTN Zambia's mobile ARPU 2013 2022
- Table 19 Growth in the number of Zamtel's mobile subscribers 2014 2021
- Table 20 Growth in the number of MTN Zambia's m-money subscribers 2018 2021
- Table 21 Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Table 22 Change in the number of DSL subscribers 2012 2021
- Table 23 Growth in the number of FttB subscribers 2012 2021
- Table 24 Decline in Zamtel's fixed-line revenue 2014 2021
- Table 25 Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity 2012 2027
- Table 26 Change in annualised fixed-line ARPU 2012 2021
- Table 27 Development of fixed-line voice traffic (million minutes) 2012 2021
- Table 28 Growth in international internet bandwidth 2012 2020
- Table 29 Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate 1995 2011
- Table 30 Historic - Registered mobile SIM cards 2012 2015
- Table 31 Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity 1995 2011
- Table 32 Historic - Zamtel mobile revenue (ZMW million) 2012 2013
- Table 33 Historic - Internet users 2000 2015
- Table 34 Historic - Internet connections by data rate 2011 2015
- Table 35 Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers 2003 2008
- Table 36 Historic - Growth in the number of fixed-line internet subscribers and penetration 2006 2011
- Table 37 Historic - International bandwidth 2000 2011
- Table 38 Historic - Change in urban and rural household mobile penetration 2015; 2018
List of Charts
- Chart 1 Africa Telecoms Maturity Index Market Leaders
- Chart 2 Africa Market Leaders global ranking
- Chart 3 Africa Telecoms Maturity Index Market Challengers
- Chart 4 Africa Market Challengers global ranking
- Chart 5 Africa Telecoms Maturity Index Market Emergents
- Chart 6 Africa Market Emergents global ranking
- Chart 7 Africa Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
- Chart 8 Africa Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
- Chart 9 Africa Fixed and mobile broadband penetration
- Chart 10 Change in annualised mobile ARPU 2012 2021
- Chart 11 Growth in the number of registered SIM cards 2012 2021
- Chart 12 Growth in the number of active mobile subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Chart 13 Development of mobile market revenue and capex 2012 2021
- Chart 14 Development of SMS and MMS traffic 2012 2021
- Chart 15 Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Chart 16 Change in the number of mobile sites by platform 2016 2021
- Chart 17 Development of Airtel Zambia's financial data (ZMW million) 2012 2021
- Chart 18 Growth in the number of Airtel Zambia's mobile subscribers 2014 2021
- Chart 19 Development of MTN Zambia's financial data 2012 2022
- Chart 20 Development of MTN Zambia's financial data 2016 2021
- Chart 21 Growth in the number of MTN Zambia's mobile subscribers 2012 2022
- Chart 22 Decline in MTN Zambia's mobile ARPU 2013 2022
- Chart 23 Growth in the number of Zamtel's mobile subscribers 2014 2021
- Chart 24 Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Chart 25 Change in the number of DSL subscribers 2012 2021
- Chart 26 Growth in the number of FttB subscribers 2012 2021
- Chart 27 Decline in Zamtel's fixed-line revenue 2014 2021
- Chart 28 Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity 2012 2027
- Chart 29 Growth in international internet bandwidth 2011 2020
List of Exhibits
- Exhibit 1 Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Africa
- Exhibit 2 Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
- Exhibit 3 Africa Market Leaders and market developments
- Exhibit 4 Africa Market Challengers and market developments
- Exhibit 5 Africa Market Emergents and market developments
- Exhibit 6 Map of Zambia
