The Ugandan state adopted a new licensing regime for telecom operators in 2019. The new regulations require telecom companies to partially list on the stock exchange, cover 90% of the territory in five years…

Telecom operator Airtel Uganda commissioned 29 new 4G telecom towers last week with the support of its technical partners American Tower Corporation (ATC) and Ubuntu. This will allow the company to improve the coverage of its network, as well as the quality of services provided to customers.

In December 2020, Airtel Uganda acquired a national telecom license valid for 20 years at USD 74.6 million under the new licensing regime adopted by the State in 2019. The company is notably required to cover 90% of the national territory. within five years of the effective date of the license. Hence the need to deploy new infrastructures.

However, Airtel Africa, the intermediate parent company of Airtel Uganda, embarked in 2021 on an extensive asset monetization program which notably includes the sale of part of its telecommunications tower portfolio in several of its markets. Africans. Now, the company is partnering with independent telecom tower companies to expand its network, either by leasing space on their existing infrastructure or contracting them to build specific towers for network coverage needs.

The construction of new telecom towers should allow Airtel Uganda to reach millions of additional subscribers and strengthen its position on the Ugandan telecom market where the company is in competition with MTN in particular. According to the latest statistics from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), about 69% of the population has access to mobile services.

Source: Agence Ecofin