Gwandu renews call for 600MHz spectrum allocation across Africa to boost rural connectivity

Tunis, Tunisia – As the global telecommunications community prepares for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-27) in Shanghai, China, Dr Bashir Gwandu, has renewed his call for African telecommunications experts and spectrum administrators to work together to secure the allocation of the 600MHz spectrum band for mobile services across the continent.

Speaking during a keynote address at the 2026 Spectrum Management Conference in Tunis on Monday, Gwandu urged African countries to push for the allocation and identification of the 600MHz band for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT), arguing that the frequency would significantly improve affordable 4G and 5G connectivity in rural areas.“The 600MHz band remains one of the most valuable spectrum assets for the future evolution of mobile broadband services, especially in regions requiring extensive rural coverage,” he said.