Safaricom Ethiopia Brings 4G Network to Tigray Region

Safaricom Ethiopia announced that they will start providing regular telecommunication services in the Tigray Region from the month of June. This is the first phase of operations in Tigray. Safaricom believes that this will help improve communication and support economic growth in the region.

In this first phase, Safaricom Ethiopia will set up its modern fourth-generation (4G) network in sixteen cities across the Tigray region. This 4G network is designed to provide excellent data services for the internet, streaming, and other online activities.

Importantly, this 4G network is also ready to be upgraded to the upcoming fifth-generation (5G) network technology in the future. This means Safaricom is preparing Tigray for the latest advancements in telecommunication. With this new 4G network, people in Tigray will experience fast internet speeds.

“We are committed to continually enhancing our network to achieve the highest standards of quality and reliability. The telecom services launched in Tigray will play a crucial role in our mission to provide reliable connectivity throughout Ethiopia,” said Safaricom CEO, Wim Vanhelleputte.

During the initial rollout phase, customers can acquire a Safaricom SIM card and choose their preferred number through a priority selection process. For the new customers, the offer includes:

• Unlimited Safaricom-to-Safaricom calls for the first seven days.
• 5 minutes of Safaricom-to-Ethiotelecom calls.
• 5 complimentary short text messages (SMS).
• Data allowance of 500MB.

In addition to the welcome bundle, Safaricom Ethiopia customers can easily obtain airtime top-ups and purchase accessories at dedicated retail outlets across urban areas. These include specialty stores as well as Safaricom’s own branded retail locations.

Specifically, in the city of Mekelle, Safaricom has opened five branded retail stores to serve customers conveniently. These stores are strategically situated at:

1. Endemichael Church area

2. Lachi Shekalo Market 

3. Near Aksum Hotel

4. Adi Haus locality

5. Adiha neighborhood

Customers can visit any of these Mekelle stores to top up their airtime balance by purchasing vouchers. Additionally, they can explore and purchase accessories as well.

Moreover, Safaricom Ethiopia is actively working to broaden its network coverage to the remaining areas of the Tigray region, which it will introduce in the next phase. This expansion initiative will ensure that more communities gain access to 4G and 5G-ready telecommunication services.

At the end of April 2024, the CEO of Safaricom said that we are going to cover the entire population of Ethiopia. We are spreading our network of towers in the region to provide service all over the region. Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia aims to triple its telecom tower network in the next three years by investing over USD 1.5 billion to improve coverage across the country. Read More…

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