Angola’s mobile market leader Unitel reported on its website that it has deployed ‘5G voice and data services’ to the localities of Talatona, Ingombota and Maianga, all in Luanda province, alongside 4G LTE network expansion to the localities of Lubalo (Lunda Norte province) and Porto Amboim in the province of Kwanza Sul.
TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database notes that Unitel was awarded a 5G spectrum licence within the 3.3GHz-3.7GHz frequency range in December 2021, allowing an initial two-year ‘test phase’ licensing period with no spectrum usage fees, and at the end of the year the cellco performed a 5G data call using Ericsson’s 5G RAN/Non Standalone (NSA) Core solutions with the new 3.5GHz allocation, which the vendor partner referred to as trial spectrum.
Unitel’s latest release indicates that its 4G network currently provides comprehensive coverage in 60 of Angola’s 164 municipalities. In January this year it announced that the LTE network reached all 18 of the country’s provincial capitals, compared to 17 previously, while at that date it reported combined 4G and 3G coverage of ‘516 locations, communes and municipalities.’ Between January and June Unitel said its 4G signal reached an additional 16 locations.
