Africell - Uganda
Africell (Uganda) uses 2 GSM bands, 1 UMTS band, and 1 LTE band. Find out if your unlocked phone or mobile device will work with Africell (Uganda). See the tables below for details.
Check device compatibilityCarrier website: http://africell.ug/
Africell Uganda was a mobile network operator that entered the Ugandan market in 2014 by acquiring Orange Uganda. Despite its efforts to compete with established players like MTN Uganda and Bharti Airtel, Africell faced significant challenges, including stiff competition and financial difficulties. The company announced its decision to cease operations in Uganda on October 7, 2021, citing a careful assessment of the long-term commercial outlook for the business and its fit within the overall group strategy of driving digital transformation in the communities it serves.
During its time in Uganda, Africell was known for its affordable internet service packages and relative network stability. It was rated the top performer in terms of service delivery by the Uganda Communications Commission. However, the company struggled financially, with reports indicating a debt of approximately $70.7 million and a loss of over $424 million in 2019. Despite these challenges, Africell maintained a significant presence in Uganda, serving around 2.3 million subscribers before its exit.
Africell's exit from Uganda marked the end of its operations in the country, but it continues to operate in other African markets, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Angola, where it has established a strong presence and is expanding its services.
Frequency Bands
GSM
| Name | Interface | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 900 MHz (E-GSM) | GSM | Africell Uganda uses the GSM 900 MHz (E-GSM) frequency band. The deployment date of this frequency band for Africell Uganda is not specified. |
| 1800 MHz (DCS) | GSM | Africell Uganda uses the GSM 1800 MHz (DCS) frequency band. This band operates within the 1.8 GHz frequency range, offering reduced signal interference and greater channel availability compared to the more crowded 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands used by GSM. The frequency ranges for GSM 1800 are:
Africell Uganda deployed GSM 1800 MHz (DCS) in early 2015, initially offering 3G services in Kinshasa. It has since upgraded to 4G LTE services in Lubumbashi and Kinshasa. |
UMTS
| Name | Interface | Description |
|---|---|---|
| B1 (2100 MHz) | UMTS | Africell Uganda uses the UMTS band B1 (2100 MHz). |
LTE
| Name | Interface | Description |
|---|---|---|
| B20 (800 MHz DD) | LTE | Africell Uganda uses the LTE B20 (800 MHz DD) frequency band. This band is deployed for LTE network operations, particularly known for its wide area coverage and deep penetration. It operates on the 800 MHz spectrum, which is excellent for regional and rural environments, as well as in-building coverage. The 800 MHz band does not easily support Massive MIMO and beamforming technologies due to its large wavelength. It can be used as a single band or as part of a multi-band network, and it supports carrier aggregation with other bands to enhance bandwidth and performance. |
