Telecommunications: ART Director General says launching of 5G imminent.

He said the regulator has been working with government institutions, mobile network operators and infrastructure providers to address the technical and regulatory requirements for the deployment.

According to the Director General, the consultations have involved the Presidency of the Republic, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. 

He said discussions have focused on operators’ investments, energy supply, fibre-optic infrastructure, frequency allocation and interference affecting mobile networks.

During the interview, Prof Zo’o Zame explained that ART has also examined the equipment and data centres operated by telecommunications companies. 

He said its teams visited sites to verify whether investment commitments announced by operators had been implemented.

“We have practically completed the entire process required before launching 5G,” Prof Zo’o Zame said.

Operators urged to invest

During the interview, Prof Zo’o Zame revealed that one of the main conclusions from consultations with government institutions was the need for mobile operators to increase investment in their networks. 

The Director General identified electricity supply and fibre-optic connectivity among the major challenges that must be addressed ahead of the rollout. 

He said ART had consequently held consultations with energy suppliers, passive infrastructure operator IHS Cameroon and the State-owned telecommunications operator, CAMTEL, particularly on issues relating to fibre-optic infrastructure.

The ART boss also cited interference from television, radio and other installations operating without appropriate frequencies as another challenge affecting mobile telephone networks. 

According to the official, the installations cause disruptions that could undermine the stability and performance of telecommunications services. He said ART had also worked on equipment to be installed by operators and the frequency bands to be allocated to them. 

MTN prepares network

The announcement follows an ART inspection of MTN Cameroon’s facilities in Akwa, Douala, on April 13. According to information published by the regulator, the mission assessed the execution of MTN’s 2025 investment plan and examined its projections for 2026. 

The review found that investments had strengthened data capacity, improved calls and reinforced network resilience. During the visit, MTN presented corrective measures, including the modernisation of power systems and data centres.

It emerged from the meeting that the operator plans to continue expanding its network in 2026, improve service reliability and introduce technologies such as IP Multimedia Subsystem-Voice over Long-Term Evolution, IMS-VoLTE, in preparation for 5G. 

MTN Cameroon also confirmed an investment package of nearly 300 million US dollars, about FCFA 165 billion, for the 2025-2027 period. The funds are intended to support network expansion and the country’s digital transformation.

ART said 4G has become the dominant mobile technology on MTN’s network, while the use of 2G and 3G is declining. However, the regulator has not announced a date for the commercial launch of 5G.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3891 of Thursday August 27, 2026