Effective Spectrum Pricing in Africa
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How successful awards can help drive mobile connectivity
Spectrum licensing and pricing can play a crucial role in accelerating the adoption of mobile services and providing better networks and services for consumers. The amount of spectrum assigned by governments in Africa is approximately half the average amount assigned around the world. This gap in spectrum assignments has emerged and expanded over the last decade, making it difficult for operators to offer fast mobile broadband speeds. African countries also account for a large proportion of the highest spectrum prices globally.
The latest report from GSMA Intelligence explains how licensing more spectrum earlier and at affordable prices can pay dividends for consumers, presenting the arguments regulators and governments need to implement policies that help improve mobile capacity and expand connectivity. The research is unprecedented in scope and depth, tracking spectrum assignments across nearly 50 African countries for the period 2010-2019.
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The impact of spectrum pricing in Bangladesh
At around 16%, Bangladesh’s spectrum-cost-to-revenue ratio exceeds the Asia Pacific median (10.4%) and is twice as high as the global median (7.7%). High spectrum cost has been shown to negatively impact consumer outcomes, such as network coverage and speeds. Reducing prices by 50% would align spectrum costs closer to the Asia Pacific median at about 12% by 2035, boosting 4G speeds by 17% and enabling 99% 5G coverage, yielding a cumulative $34 billion GDP boost. Aligning costs to the global median of 8% of operators’ revenue would increase 4G speeds by 22% and accelerate 5G rollout further, generating a $45 billion GDP boost.
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Learn moreRelated research
Spectrum Navigator, Q2 2025
This quarterly series leverages the GSMA Intelligence Spectrum Navigator tool to identify key trends and insights. The report outlines the latest important developments in the spectrum world and the key trends to watch going forward.
Digital Nations 2025: Achieving the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan
Successfully realising ASEAN’s development plans requires concerted efforts by stakeholders to fully leverage the opportunities presented by digitalisation. This report highlights three principal measures to improve digital readiness: bridge the infrastructure gap, accelerate regional policy harmonisation, and leverage international cooperation mechanisms.
The impact of spectrum pricing in Bangladesh
At around 16%, Bangladesh’s spectrum-cost-to-revenue ratio exceeds the Asia Pacific median (10.4%) and is twice as high as the global median (7.7%). High spectrum cost has been shown to negatively impact consumer outcomes, such as network coverage and speeds. Reducing prices by 50% would align spectrum costs closer to the Asia Pacific median at about 12% by 2035, boosting 4G speeds by 17% and enabling 99% 5G coverage, yielding a cumulative $34 billion GDP boost. Aligning costs to the global median of 8% of operators’ revenue would increase 4G speeds by 22% and accelerate 5G rollout further, generating a $45 billion GDP boost.
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