Most Tanzanians now go online through a mobile phone, and 5G is spreading in towns. Here is what the latest regulator figures say, and how businesses should respond.
The numbers
According to the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) figures for the quarter ending June 2026, as reported by Daily News:
- Internet subscriptions rose to 62.79 million, with internet penetration of 89.7%.
- Mobile broadband makes up about 60% of internet subscriptions.
- 5G covers 34.18% of the population, but only about 11% of the land area, mostly towns and commercial centres.
- Smartphone penetration reached 44.74%, while feature phones are still very common.
- Data use rose to more than 1,000 petabytes in the quarter.
TCRA publishes its communications statistics every quarter on its website.
Mobile first is no longer optional
With most people online through phones, your website and services must work well on a small screen and a mobile connection:
- Fast pages with compressed images.
- Clear buttons for calling, WhatsApp and directions.
- Simple forms that work on a phone.
- Payment by mobile money and cards.
We rebuilt our own website around these principles. See our website design service.
Do not forget feature-phone users
Many customers still use feature phones. For services that must reach everyone, such as reminders, alerts and payments, SMS and USSD remain important alongside apps and websites.
National plans for connectivity and skills are covered in our guide to the Digital Economy Strategic Framework.
5G for offices and sites
Where 5G is available, it can provide a fast backup link for offices, or a primary connection for temporary sites, construction projects and events. Coverage is still concentrated in towns, so test the signal at your exact location before relying on it.
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How Extrion can help
Extrion builds mobile-friendly web platforms and mobile solutions, and designs office networks with backup links. Talk to us about your project.
Frequently asked questions
How many internet subscriptions does Tanzania have?
TCRA figures for June 2026 show 62.79 million internet subscriptions and internet penetration of 89.7%.
How much of Tanzania has 5G?
5G covered 34.18% of the population but only about 11% of the land area in June 2026, mainly in urban and commercial areas.
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