The Zambian government launched an operation to modernize communication towers across the country, adapting them to 3G and 4G networks.
The government plans to upgrade 87 telecom towers from 2G to 3G in this province. This upgrade will not only extend the coverage to a radius of 30 to 40 km but also enable the transmission of internet data signals in addition to voice.
The program aligns with the Zambian government’s commitment to phasing out 2G in favor of next-generation mobile technologies such as 4G and 5G. This move aims to accelerate the adoption of high-speed internet in the country, in line with the government’s commitment to digital transformation. Lusaka has set a goal to connect every Zambian to a reliable communication network by 2030.
Additionally, the Zambian Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) plans to install 980 communication towers by 2025 to address communication gaps in the country, consistent with the universal access master plan.
According to the DataReportal platform, Zambia had 4.3 million internet subscribers at the beginning of 2023, with a penetration rate of 21.2%. The number of mobile phone subscribers was 16.36 million, representing 80.6% of the population.