Mozambique has taken a significant step in its digital journey as the Instituto Nacional de Comunicações de Moçambique (INCM) and World Mobile officially completed the handover of the country’s first TV White Space (TVWS) spectrum database. The move is expected to unlock new opportunities for broadband expansion, particularly in communities where access has long been limited or completely absent.
The database, developed through a collaborative process of technical design, regulatory alignment, and rigorous testing, is now fully operational. INCM will take charge of its management, ensuring that TVWS is utilised responsibly while also opening the door for innovative service providers to roll out affordable internet in rural and peri-urban areas.
This development is about more than technology—it represents a shift in how Mozambique manages its digital resources. By utilising under-used television frequencies, the country is signalling its readiness to embrace creative and cost-effective solutions to bridge the digital divide.
Table of Contents
The Promise of TV White Space
TV White Space technology works by repurposing unused spectrum within television broadcasting frequencies. Because TV signals travel long distances and penetrate buildings effectively, these frequencies are ideal for reaching rural areas where laying fibre-optic cables or erecting traditional mobile towers is costly and impractical.
The new spectrum database provides a structured way of managing this valuable resource. Among its most important functions are:
- Efficient Spectrum Governance – INCM can now map and authorise TVWS usage across the country, ensuring the spectrum is used strategically.
- Protection of Broadcasters – Safeguards are built into the system to prevent interference with existing TV signals, a crucial step for maintaining service quality.
- Opportunities for New Operators – Internet service providers (ISPs) can apply to use TVWS in specific locations, reducing costs of entry and boosting competition in broadband delivery.
Helena Fernandes, Chairperson of INCM, described the achievement as “a milestone in our commitment to inclusive connectivity. With this database, we can regulate spectrum responsibly while accelerating broadband to underserved communities.”
For World Mobile, which co-developed the platform, this project is a demonstration of its mission to deliver affordable connectivity through decentralised, community-driven models. Mike Nxele, the company’s Vice President for Regulatory Affairs, noted: “This is proof of what can happen when regulators and innovators work together. Mozambique now has a future-proof tool to unlock spectrum for new broadband services.”
What This Means for Mozambique’s Digital Future
Now that the database is operational, INCM has set out clear next steps to ensure its effective adoption:
- Supporting Service Providers – Telecom operators and ISPs will receive guidance on how to apply for access to TVWS. This onboarding process is essential to translating the database into tangible connectivity for communities.
- Training and Capacity Building – World Mobile has committed to assisting INCM with knowledge transfer and technical training, ensuring that local expertise is strengthened for long-term sustainability.
- Monitoring and Policy Alignment – INCM will take responsibility for ongoing monitoring, ensuring that the system stays aligned with evolving policies while also safeguarding the integrity of broadcast services.
The plan is not merely about rolling out technology—it is about creating a sustainable governance model that allows Mozambique to continuously adapt as the digital landscape evolves.
The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters
This initiative carries weight far beyond technical infrastructure. It represents a turning point for digital inclusion in Mozambique and potentially the African continent as a whole.
- Bridging the Digital Divide
For communities cut off from reliable connectivity, this development offers hope. With TVWS, villages and towns that once depended on patchy mobile signals or had no internet at all can look forward to affordable, stable broadband. - Economic Opportunities
Affordable internet fuels entrepreneurship, e-commerce, and local innovation. Farmers can access weather forecasts and market prices, students can participate in online learning, and small businesses can reach new customers. - Healthcare and Education
Telemedicine becomes viable when reliable internet reaches remote areas. In education, online resources and virtual classrooms can supplement traditional teaching methods, closing knowledge gaps between urban and rural learners. - Regional Leadership
By adopting TVWS early, Mozambique positions itself as a leader in spectrum innovation. Other African nations may now look to its model as a practical example of how to turn underused resources into engines of digital growth.
Perhaps the most profound aspect of this project is its social impact. Connectivity is no longer a luxury—it is a necessity for participation in modern life. By investing in creative solutions like TVWS, Mozambique is not only connecting its people but empowering them.
Conclusion
The handover of Mozambique’s TV White Space spectrum database from World Mobile to INCM is more than a regulatory milestone. It is a bold declaration that the country is ready to adopt forward-thinking strategies to bring affordable broadband to every corner.
If managed well, the initiative will change the daily realities of millions—from students in remote schools to farmers in isolated villages—by giving them access to the digital tools many in urban areas take for granted.
It is also a message to the rest of Africa: innovation in spectrum management is not only possible, it is necessary. As the database goes live and ISPs begin to plug in, Mozambique will be closely watched—not just by its neighbours, but by policymakers, investors, and innovators across the world.
In the words of one Mozambican telecoms official during the handover: “This database is not just a piece of technology. It is a bridge between our people and their digital future.”
Join Our Social Media Channels:
WhatsApp: NaijaEyes
Facebook: NaijaEyes
Twitter: NaijaEyes
Instagram: NaijaEyes
TikTok: NaijaEyes
