kt Rwanda Networks

KTRN's primary mandate was to deploy a nationwide 4G LTE network. The company launched its 4G LTE services on November 11, 2014, using the 2 x 20 MHz band 20 spectrum. This deployment offered theoretical peak downlink speeds of 150 Mbps and initially covered 95% of Kigali. By 2016, KTRN had expanded its 4G LTE coverage to 62% of Rwanda's population, with a goal to reach 92% by 2017. The network was deployed across all 30 districts and most populated centres in Rwanda. In 2019, KTRN commenced a significant network upgrade and optimisation process, investing over USD 10 million to enhance the quality of service and expand coverage. This included software and hardware upgrades, such as swapping and replacing up to 120 radio sites with dual-band units. These efforts aimed to address network challenges and meet the growing demands of 4G LTE customers in Rwanda. Despite these advancements, KTRN faced criticism for not meeting its initial coverage targets. In 2023, the Rwandan government decided to cut KTRN's 25-year exclusive rights over the 4G spectrum to allow other operators to roll out their own 4G services, promoting competition and further development of the broadband market.