Guinea has reportedly made progress on its pledge to relaunch state-owned operator Sotelgui, which is apparently going to be operational at the end of January and rebranded as Guinee Telecom.
According to telecom minister Ousmane Gaoual Diallo informing cabinet members, CommsUpdate reported. The operator tested its network in mid-December as part of original plans to fully launch at the end of 2022, reported local media outlet Mosaique Guinee.
The minister disclosed no further details but had previously stated ambitions to launch 4G and 5G to ensure the company does not lag its competitors.
Diallo previously outlined that the first half of 2023 would be the launch window for the operator. Sotelgui as the state-owned operator was known then, went bankrupt in 2012 with mismanagement widely reported as the cause. The Guinean government has since made steps to revive the operator such as gaining support from the African Development Bank.