Senegal’s regulator ARTP (L’Autorite de Regulation des Telecommunications et des Postes) has confirmed plans to launch national mobile roaming this month, ahead of 5G licence allocation by end-July.
ARTP director general Abdou Karim Sall named 17th May as the date by which national roaming would be implemented between the country’s main players Orange, Free and Expresso Telecom. The move comes following calls from Senegal’s President Macky Sall for the country to achieve nationwide mobile coverage “as soon as possible.”
TeleGeography reports that ARTP has set 31st May 2023 as the provisional date for the launch of a competitive bidding process for 5G licence allocation, with Sall anticipating the process to be concluded by the end of July.
As part of this, operators’ existing 4G licences will be extended, although Sall noted that the ARTP would carry out a review of each operator’s network to ensure that they are meeting the coverage and quality of service obligations stipulated by their licences. The last such check was in April, and after the ARTP found them to be below par, the operators pledged extra investment in exchange for reduced penalties. The operators have until 31st December 2023 to bring their networks in line with the requirements.
