MOBILE technologies now account for 99.7 per cent of all simcard subscriptions, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has stated.

Dr Jabiri Bakari, director general, made this observation at a press briefing on recent developments in technology spread out, in Dar es Salaam yesterday, explaining that local communications experienced anchored insignificant progress with a notable increase in mobile network coverage in the past three months.

There was extensive expansion of technologies across the various levels of technology, as mobile communications technologies dotted with advanced internet capabilities and features enhanced consumer access to data services.

Technology penetration via advanced user devices countrywide increased by one to three percentage points from June to September, with services enabled by successive mobile phone technologies obtaining a range of benefits

These include increased internet speeds, network reliability and quality voice communications, he stated, indicating that third-generation (3G) mobile technologies increased from 89 to 90.1 per cent of the user population.

Fourth level (4G) access rose from 83 to 84.9 per cent and fifth generation (5G) equipped user space rose from 15 to 18 per cent during the period, since it was formally introduced in the country two years ago.

Five G, as it is commonly named, offers faster speeds, reduced data transfer delays and more reliable connections than earlier technology levels, more commonly used in various high tech services .

These include agriculture automation services where the technology enables operating drones, while industrial operators make use of it to facilitate automated flows of information.

In addition, smartphones are now used by 33.85 per cent of enrolled users, compared to 31.5 per cent in June 2024, the range of mobile phones that can accommodate significantly complex applications while facilitating high-speed internet, he elaborated.

Formal internet facilitated simcard users increased by five per cent from July to September, inching up from 39.3m to 41.4m subscriptions.

He explained these subscriptions are SIM cards and fixed lines that have accessed and used internet services in the past three months regardless of the technology used.

Data usage per subscription increased from 4,647 megabytes in June to 4,855MB in September, while mobile wireless remained the most preferred means of accessing the internet, he added.