Internet

GSMA report highlights low band spectrum and network sharing as key to improving rural mobile coverage and quality. (Image source: GSMA)

GSMA is urging governments and regulators to accelerate efforts to bridge the rural digital divide by prioritising additional low-band spectrum allocation and easing restrictions on voluntary network sharing between mobile operators

In its newly released report, Spectrum and Rural Connectivity, the industry body presents evidence that access to sufficient sub-1 GHz spectrum remains one of the most powerful levers to enhance rural network reach, service quality and affordability. Expanding access to these frequencies can also unlock broader social and economic gains for underserved communities.

While mobile coverage has expanded significantly in recent years, disparities persist. According to the report, people living in rural areas are still 28% less likely to use mobile internet than those in cities. They are also 30% less likely to regularly access online services such as messaging platforms, digital banking and educational tools. Even where coverage exists, service quality continues to hinder usage, particularly in areas that depend heavily on low-band spectrum to maintain reliable connections.

Analysis from GSMA Intelligence highlights the technical advantages of low-band frequencies. Their stronger propagation characteristics allow signals to travel greater distances and penetrate buildings more effectively, making them particularly suited to sparsely populated regions. Rural users already depend significantly on these bands, spending more than twice as much time connected to low frequencies as urban users across both 4G and 5G networks.

The report establishes a measurable relationship between increased low-band spectrum availability and improved rural connectivity outcomes. For every additional 50 MHz of sub-1 GHz spectrum assigned, rural 4G coverage rises by seven percentage points, while 5G coverage increases by eleven percentage points. Greater availability of low-band spectrum is also associated with download speed improvements of up to 8% and reduced congestion at the cell edge, where rural users are most affected by connectivity constraints.

Cost structures also play a critical role. The GSMA finds that reducing the spectrum cost-to-revenue ratio by 10% points correlates with tangible improvements in rural network deployment. Lower spectrum costs enable operators to allocate more capital towards expanding coverage and enhancing network performance. When combined with policies that reduce regulatory burdens, site access barriers and support voluntary network sharing, affordable low-band spectrum can significantly improve the economics of rural rollout.

“Reducing the digital divide between urban and rural communities allows us to give everyone the same digital opportunities, no matter where they live” said Luciana Camargos, head of spectrum at the GSMA.

“Our analysis shows that low-band spectrum is the foundation of rural mobile connectivity and making more available – at affordable prices and with long-term regulatory certainty – can dramatically improve rural coverage, boost speeds and reduce deployment costs. These improvements translate directly into better access to education, healthcare, financial services and new economic opportunities for rural communities. Governments and regulators have a clear chance to accelerate rural development by prioritising low-band spectrum for mobile and lowering the barriers to voluntary network sharing.”

Beyond enhancing connectivity metrics, the report underlines the broader economic implications of stronger rural networks. Improved coverage and service quality can increase digital participation, enhance productivity in sectors such as agriculture and transport, and strengthen local economies through better access to information, services and markets. Narrowing the connectivity gap between rural and urban areas can also amplify the overall societal value of digital networks.

To maximise these benefits, the GSMA recommends that policymakers prioritise the assignment of all low-band spectrum designated for mobile services, align spectrum pricing with economic fundamentals, provide long-term regulatory certainty consistent with network asset lifecycles, and reduce barriers to voluntary infrastructure sharing. The organisation emphasises that spectrum policy should be central to national strategies aimed at closing the digital divide and promoting inclusive economic growth.

OADC expands South Africa footprint

Open Access Data Centres (OADC), recognised as Africa’s fastest expanding data centre operator, has confirmed the completion of its strategic acquisition of seven NTT facilities in South Africa.

The transaction was finalised on 31 December 2025 after receiving clearance from the Competition Commission. Through this deal, OADC adds seven new sites to its portfolio, lifting its total installed capacity to over 25 MW nationwide. The signing ceremony saw Joshua Smythwood, WIOCC Group Chief Mergers & Acquisitions Officer, observe as Martin Springer, Senior Director for Infrastructure Solutions at NTT DATA in South Africa, formalised the agreement.

Already operating across South Africa, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, OADC stands among the continent’s most prominent data centre providers. The integration of these facilities strengthens the company’s core-to-edge strategy, enabling it to better support accelerating demand for digital infrastructure across Southern Africa. The expansion further consolidates OADC’s position at the forefront of Africa’s digital transformation journey.

Dr Ayotunde Coker, CEO of OADC, commented: “This acquisition represents a significant step forward in expanding our ability to deliver scalable, resilient colocation solutions where they are needed. It strengthens our market value proposition, positioning OADC as a critical partner in growing Africa’s digital economy. We can provide clients with a wider range of comprehensive resilience solutions, delivering geographically separated primary and disaster recovery data centre infrastructure for their businesses.”

The addition of the seven facilities reflects OADC’s long-term commitment to strengthening Africa’s digital backbone, stimulating economic development and enhancing societal progress, while reinforcing its role as a key enabler of connectivity and technological innovation across the continent.

Dr Coker added: “Looking ahead beyond the immediate expansion of our operational presence, OADC plans on enhancing all of its data centres as part of its continuous facility enhancement process, bringing the introduction of advanced operational measures to ensure peak efficiency and reliability.”

Paratus launches protected 2,000 km fiber route linking Mombasa to Goma

Paratus Group has activated a major new fibre corridor in East Africa, establishing a direct terrestrial connection between Mombasa in Kenya and Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

The newly launched G2M, or Goma-to-Mombasa, route spans approximately 2,000 km and is built as a protected network to ensure resilience and continuity of service.

The fibre link passes through Kigali in Rwanda, Kampala in Uganda and Nairobi in Kenya, with direct connections into strategically located data centres along the route. Already operational and carrying live traffic for its first wholesale customers, the infrastructure is engineered to provide high-capacity, reliable connectivity for carriers, internet service providers and enterprises operating across multiple borders.

This deployment deepens Paratus’ presence in East Africa, forming a seamless regional network that connects inland markets to international subsea cable systems landing on the coast. Delivered in collaboration with ROKE TELKOM in Uganda and MoveOn Telecoms in Kenya, the project is supported by Paratus’ fully licensed subsidiaries in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. The G2M route also integrates with the Group’s low earth orbit footprint across Goma, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.

For operators and enterprises in eastern DRC and neighbouring markets, the new route provides enhanced access to global connectivity, improved redundancy and lower latency, creating stronger conditions for digital expansion and economic participation.

The addition of the G2M link complements Paratus’ broader East–West backbone, which extends from Maputo in Mozambique to Swakopmund in Namibia and connects with the Equiano subsea cable system. Together, these assets enable low-latency, high-capacity links between Africa and Europe, positioning Paratus among the limited number of providers delivering integrated regional and cross-continental connectivity through a single network.

Martin Cox, Chief Commercial Officer of Paratus Group, says the G2M route is a critical step in enabling East Africa’s digital economy.

“This is far more than another fiber link – it’s a new digital highway for the region,” says Cox. “By creating a protected route from the coast all the way into Goma, we’re giving operators and enterprises direct, reliable access to global capacity. It dramatically improves resilience and performance, while opening new commercial opportunities across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC.”

“Our strategy has always been about connecting the dots across Africa with quality, contiguous infrastructure. The G2M route strengthens everything we’ve already built in East Africa and makes Paratus the natural connectivity partner for businesses that operate across borders.”

Home to more than 200 million people, East Africa remains one of the continent’s fastest-growing economic regions, with strong expansion across fintech, manufacturing, mining, energy, agriculture and ICT. As digital adoption accelerates, demand for secure, enterprise-grade connectivity, cloud services and managed solutions continues to rise.

Through offerings that include dedicated internet access, cloud platforms, data centre services, managed networks and cybersecurity solutions, Paratus aims to provide the infrastructure backbone required to support regional trade, innovation and digital transformation.

As Cox concludes: “Digital infrastructure today is as critical as traditional trade routes were in the past. We’re building the networks that make modern commerce possible – and this new route is a key part of that future.”

100G DWDM connectivity between African data centres

Smartoptics has teamed up with regional partner HardwareCo to support Teraco’s deployment of redundant 100G DWDM links between its CT1 and CT2 data centres in Cape Town

The new high-capacity connection reinforces a critical digital corridor that supports Africa’s expanding cloud, content, connectivity and financial ecosystems, delivering low-latency and cost-efficient access along one of South Africa’s fastest-growing bandwidth routes.

Teraco, a Digital Realty company, operates seven data centres across South Africa and serves as the country’s largest vendor-neutral data centre platform. With more than 650 customers and over 27,000 interconnects, the company plays a central role in enabling secure and direct data exchange for cloud providers, global content networks, telecom operators and financial institutions across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Growing demand from customers for 100G connectivity between the CT1 and CT2 facilities led Teraco to increase backbone capacity. Smartoptics’ compact 1U DWDM solution was selected for its efficient use of space and power, while also improving fibre utilisation and offering greater operational flexibility through breakout functionality.

“As Africa moves from 10G to 100G, DWDM equipment licensing fees have become a real blocker for many,” commented Michele McCann, head of platforms, Teraco Data Environments. “That’s why Smartoptics’ open approach immediately stood out to us. There are no hidden licenses or vendor restrictions, and it’s so intuitive that our IP engineers could operate it after just a single day of training – without needing to become optical transmission experts. This flexibility and ease of use let us scale fast without worrying about pluggable compatibility or hiring more staff to manage it.”

The rollout was delivered in partnership with HardwareCo, Smartoptics’ regional partner for projects across Africa. The deployment was completed quickly and without service disruption, demonstrating how open DWDM architectures can reduce complexity, shorten deployment timelines and allow operators like Teraco to retain full in-house control of their optical infrastructure.

“We are very proud to support Teraco in achieving their high-capacity connectivity between CT1 and CT2, and very excited to have partnered with Smartoptics for this”, says Mark Tinka, managing director at HardwareCo.

“We selected Smartoptics as our key DWDM technology partner because of their unique approach to optical networking that is based on open standards and open architectures. This has democratized access to DWDM technology in a way that uniquely aligns with the challenges and goals of developing regions like Africa”.

Looking ahead, Smartoptics highlights the importance of efficient inland transport as new subsea cable capacity continues to land along Africa’s coastlines.

“Africa’s coastal regions are seeing huge new waves of subsea capacity, but getting that bandwidth inland efficiently is the next big challenge. Teraco’s investment shows how open optical networking with no license fees can bridge that gap, enabling scalable, cost-effective transport that matches the continent’s growth and future demand. We’re proud to support Teraco in this effort together with HardwareCo, helping make Africa’s data routes as open and dynamic as its digital ambitions and signalling that the region is ready for global-scale platforms,” concluded Magnus Grenfeldt, CEO, Smartoptics.