The rise of VoLTE and the transformation of Tanzania’s telecom sector

Tanzania’s telecommunications industry is now undergoing a major transformation, one that could greatly shape how people and businesses connect and operate in the digital economy. For many years, most mobile users in Tanzania and across Africa have depended on 2G and 3G networks mainly for voice calls, even as data services moved to 4G. This mix of old and new systems caused inefficiencies such as poor call quality, limited access to fast data during calls, and high operational costs for service providers. The introduction of Voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE) is now solving these challenges. It allows high-quality voice calls over 4G and 5G networks, while users can still access high-speed internet at the same time. Airtel Tanzania introduced this technology under the name “VoLTE Bila Chenga” in December 2025, marking a major step towards modern, data-driven communication. According to the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), the telecom sector performed strongly in 2025, with most operators achieving efficiency rates above 90 percent. However, to keep up this performance, there must be ongoing investment in next-generation technology like VoLTE. The technology also allows spectrum refarming, where old frequencies can be reallocated to new data services, thus improving capacity. Furthermore, VoLTE enhances competition and improves the quality of communication services. As Tanzania continues expanding 4G and introducing 5G networks, VoLTE is helping to align the country with national development goals outlined in Dira 2050. The challenge remains ensuring that devices are affordable and that infrastructure expansion continues. VoLTE might not be visible to most consumers, but its impact is large—it provides better call quality, quicker data access, and opens the path for new digital services like video calling. Overall, VoLTE represents more than a minor upgrade; it marks a true shift as Tanzania moves deeper into the digital era.