Ethio Telecom - Ethiopia

Ethio Telecom (Ethiopia) uses 1 GSM band, 1 UMTS band, and 1 LTE band. Find out if your unlocked phone or mobile device will work with Ethio Telecom (Ethiopia). See the tables below for details.

Ethio Telecom, previously known as the Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC), is the primary provider of telecommunications services in Ethiopia. Here are some key points about Ethio Telecom's mobile network:

1. History and Structure:

   • Ethio Telecom was established as the Imperial Board of Telecommunications of Ethiopia (IBTE) in 1952 and has undergone several reorganizations and name changes, including being renamed as Ethio Telecom in 2010.
   • It is owned by the Ethiopian government and maintains a monopoly over all telecommunication services in the country.

2. Infrastructure and Expansion:

   • Ethio Telecom has expanded significantly, with plans to extend 842 new infrastructure sites by August 2020, aiming to host an additional 5.2 million new customers.
   • By the end of the 2021/22 financial year, the company had generated a revenue of 61.3 billion birr and boosted the country's telecom density to 63.3%, with a total of 66.59 million subscribers.

3. Mobile Subscribers:

   • As of July 2022, Ethio Telecom provided services for 64.51 million mobile voice subscribers, an increase of over 10 million from the previous year.
   • The company has seen a significant growth in mobile subscribers, with a notable increase in recent years.

4. Services and Technology:

   • Ethio Telecom offers a range of mobile services, including voice, data, and internet services. It has also launched Telebirr, a mobile payment service, which has attracted 21.8 million users.
   • In May 2021, Ethio Telecom launched its 5G network for pre-commercial sale in partnership with Huawei Technology, following the upgrade of its 4G network.

5. Censorship and Surveillance:

   • Ethio Telecom has been involved in internet filtering and censorship, particularly targeting sites run by Ethiopians in the diaspora who are critical of the government.
   • The company has also blocked access to other sites intermittently, and there have been reports of surveillance and censorship of the internet.

Overall, Ethio Telecom plays a crucial role in Ethiopia's telecommunications sector, providing a wide range of services and infrastructure to support the country's growing digital landscape.

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