Rwanda plans to switch off 3G by mid-2027

Rwanda has set a June 2027 deadline to retire 3G and reallocate the spectrum to 4G and 5G networks.

Rwanda has set June 2027 as the deadline to retire its 3G mobile networks, according to reporting relayed through CNBC Africa. The move is meant to free up radio spectrum so that it can be reallocated to faster 4G and 5G service.

Spectrum is a finite resource, and older network generations occupy bands that could carry more data if handed to newer technology. Retiring 3G lets operators reuse those frequencies for connections that move more information per unit of spectrum, which is one of the more direct levers a regulator has to expand capacity without building entirely new infrastructure.

For a developing market, wider and faster mobile coverage matters because the phone is often the primary gateway to the internet, and better networks can lower the effective cost of getting online. That is the connection this touches: cheaper, more available bandwidth for more people.

The date is a target, and transitions like this depend on how many people still rely on 3G-only handsets when the switch-off arrives. We are working only from the headline and metadata here, so the details of the plan — coverage commitments, pricing, and provisions for older devices — remain to be confirmed.

Source: Google News