Dar es Salaam. As Tanzania continues to embrace the digital economy, the rollout of mobile network coverage has reached nearly 100 percent, driven by substantial and ongoing government investment in telecommunications infrastructure, according to a report by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA).
Communication statistics released by TCRA on October 18, 2025, show that from July to September this year, network improvements have coincided with a rise in internet subscriptions, which climbed to 56.3 million from 54.1 million recorded in June.
The data indicate that network availability now stands at 98.6 percent for 2G, 93.8 percent for 3G, 94.2 percent for 4G, and 28.9 percent for 5G.
In terms of geographical coverage, there has also been notable progress: 5G coverage rose to 8.6 percent, 4G to 76.9 percent, 3G to 75.9 percent, and 2G to 78.2 percent.
Regarding mobile internet market share by subscription, Vodacom leads, followed by Yas, Airtel, Halotel, and TTCL.
Smartphone penetration increased to 39.53 percent, up from 36.75 percent in June 2025, while feature phone penetration grew to 86.53 percent from 84.97 percent in the same period.
“The communications sector continued to record significant growth during the quarter ending September 2025, underscoring its vital role in advancing Tanzania’s digital transformation and socio-economic development,” said in a report, the TCRA Director General, Dr Jabir Bakari.
He noted that the sector remains resilient and adaptive, reflecting increased investment, innovation, and consumer uptake across telecommunications, broadcasting, and postal and courier services.
In telecommunications and internet services, there was sustained growth in subscriptions, mobile money usage, and data consumption, driven by expanding broadband infrastructure and greater adoption of smart devices.
Mobile money platforms continued to foster financial inclusion, while improved service quality demonstrated operators’ ongoing efforts to meet regulatory standards and customer expectations.
Broadcasting services also experienced growth in both active subscriptions and content distribution, supported by broader digital coverage and rising consumer demand for satellite and online broadcasting.
Notably, active decoder subscriptions increased by 14 percent, reaching 2.3 million by September 2025.
Dr Bakari emphasised that this growth highlights the sector’s contribution to information dissemination, cultural promotion, and national cohesion.
Meanwhile, postal and courier services continued to evolve in response to digitalisation and the growth of e-commerce.
“Overall, the quarter’s performance reaffirms the strong momentum towards a more connected, inclusive, and digitally empowered Tanzania. TCRA remains committed to fostering an enabling environment that supports infrastructure investment, innovation, and sustainable growth of the communications ecosystem in line with national development priorities and the vision of a digital economy,” the report concluded.
Commenting on the findings, a student at the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT), Mr Emmanuel Mushi, said the expansion of internet access was a positive development, helping students improve their learning efficiency through faster connection speeds.
He added that with the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications, internet speeds must continue to improve to support quicker and more efficient task execution.
