5G, the latest generation of cellular networks, is steadily making its way across Africa, promising faster speeds and lower latency compared to previous generations. Tunisia is poised to become the next country to offer 5G services to its citizens and businesses.

The Tunisian Ministry of Communication Technologies announced on Sunday, June 30, the launch of a call for tenders for the allocation of 5G operating licenses. Telecom operators interested in providing commercial fifth-generation technology in Tunisia must submit their applications to the ministry between July 3 and September 2.

The call for tenders follows the approval of the 5G launch roadmap by the government on June 13. According to this roadmap, each Tunisian telecom operator will be entitled to 5 MHz duplex in the 700 MHz band and 100 MHz (TDD) in the 3.5 GHz band. Three blocks of 20 MHz will be available upon request by the operators. Additional 5G frequency bands will be announced in later deployment phases. The license will be valid for 15 years, with its cost yet to be disclosed.

According to the ministry, the deployment of 5G is part of "the Tunisian state's strategy for the digital development of the national territory, aiming to develop digital infrastructure and generalize very high-speed coverage throughout the national territory." The government also aims to accelerate the digitization of the administration, secure the national cyberspace, ensure digital sovereignty, and establish a climate of digital trust essential for the realization of digitization projects.

5G is expected to facilitate new applications of mobile technology. In a public consultation on ultra-high-speed broadband conducted by the National Telecommunications Authority (INT) in 2021, the Internet service provider Conect Tunisia indicated that the performance of 5G technology could support the development of the following use cases: IoT (Industry 4.0, Agriculture 3.0, Smart Homes, Smart Cities), video streaming in automotive vehicles, data exchanges during major sporting and cultural events, self-guided vehicles, and online gaming.

Isaac K. Kassouwi