The Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA) will unveil new entrants into the East African country’s telecommunications industry within a few days.

This follows a decision of the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to proceed with the liberalisation of the industry and usher in the new operators.

The ECA has reserved spectrum frequencies and unveiled its national coverage requirements for the new entrants.

According to the latest plan, the process of officially opening the telecommunications market is expected to be completed by February 2021.

The final plan emerged from a recent meeting attended by top officials of the ECA, Ethiopia’s finance ministry, national operator Ethio Telecom, ministerial macroeconomic reform team, and members of the Privatisation Advisory Board.

The ECA’s director-general Balcha Reba confirmed that the identity of the new telecom operators would be revealed within a few days.

He added that stakeholders have also agreed to frequency allocation for mobile network operators in Ethiopia.

“They will be respectively allocated a telecom frequency spectrum of 10 MHz and 20 MHz in the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz band, while the incumbent operator will receive 15 MHz and 35 MHz respectively. In the 2100 MHz and 2600 MHz band, all operators will receive a frequency of 20 MHz,” said Reba.

According to the ECA, Ethiopia’s new telecom service providers will have to extend their national network coverage to 25% within 12 months of entering the market, 40% within 24 months, 55% within 36 months, 70% within 48 months, 80% within 60 months, and 97% within 15 years.

Moreover, the license recipients will be required to provide free services to non-profit entities which, according to the ECA, is in the public interest. New entities will also be unable to retail mobile phones.

In preparation for the introduction of competition in the country’s telecommunications space, the ECA has released drafts of guidelines that are required for a multiplayer telecommunications ecosystem - including directives on mobile number portability, national roaming, Universal Access and Service Framework and Universal Access Fund Regulation.