DR Congo Considers Low-Cost Mobile Towers to Expand Rural Coverage
October 14th 2026
- DR Congo is considering small-scale mobile network sites to expand coverage in rural and peri-urban areas, with plans for 50 pilot installations using technology already deployed by Orange.
- The solar-powered sites reportedly cost four times less than conventional mobile towers, can be installed in under two hours and could provide coverage within a radius of 4 to 5 kilometers.
- Mobile coverage remains limited, with 4G reaching only 45% of the population in 2024. The GSMA estimates that $650 million in additional investment is needed to extend mobile broadband coverage to 95% of the population.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) is exploring the use of small-scale mobile network sites to expand coverage in rural and peri-urban areas. The initiative aims to improve mobile connectivity in sparsely populated communities, where high infrastructure costs can make network expansion less commercially viable for operators.
According to local news outlet Scoop RDC, the proposal was discussed at an October 8 meeting chaired by Posts and Telecommunications Minister José Mpanda Kabangu. The meeting brought together Paterne Binene-A-Kadiat, director general of the Universal Service Development Fund (FDSU), representatives of four mobile operators and the head of Africa Mobile Networks (AMN), the company providing the technology. The discussions focused on securing support from other operators for pilot deployments of the technology, which Orange already uses in DR Congo.
Technology Tailored to Low-Density Communities
According to Scoop RDC, the sites use solar-powered antennas about 5 meters tall. They can reportedly be installed in less than two hours and cost about one-quarter as much as conventional mobile towers. The project also includes plans for 50 pilot sites.
Each site could provide coverage within a radius of 4 to 5 kilometers, potentially serving several nearby villages. The technology primarily targets rural and peri-urban communities with populations of 3,000 to 4,000.
On its website, Africa Mobile Networks (AMN) says its deployment model relies on small cells. The company says its standard stations cover an area of 3 to 5 square kilometers, compared with 30 to 50 square kilometers for its extended-coverage stations. Signal range varies from 1 to 5 kilometers from the antenna, depending on terrain. AMN also says each station’s capacity can be increased as demand grows, while additional sites can be installed to extend coverage and expand network capacity.
High Deployment Costs Remain a Barrier to Rural Coverage
The initiative comes as Congolese authorities work toward connecting 68 million people living in rural areas by 2035. According to International Telecommunication Union (ITU) data, 2G, 3G and 4G networks covered 75%, 55% and 45% of DR Congo’s population, respectively, in 2024. The organization estimated mobile phone penetration at 44.3%, compared with 19.7% for internet penetration.
The GSMA notes that expanding mobile coverage to areas without service generally requires greater investment, as these communities are often among the most difficult and expensive to reach. Rural areas are frequently farther from telecommunications infrastructure and electricity grids, requiring operators to install more network sites, transmission links and, in some cases, independent power systems.
In its report, Network Coverage and Infrastructure – The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2025, the GSMA estimates that an additional $650 million in investment would be needed to extend mobile broadband coverage to 95% of the population. The organization notes that 87% of the new sites required to reach that target are located more than one kilometer from the electricity grid, while nearly one-third are at least 100 kilometers away. Reliance on standalone power solutions, including solar systems, therefore increases deployment costs.
Low population density also reduces the potential customer base, making it harder for operators to recover their investment. Scattered settlements further increase the distances that individual network sites must cover.
Back