Iran’s mobile internet capacity up by 30% with access to new bandwidth

Iran’s telecoms ministry says high-speed mobile internet capacity in the country would increase by 30% now that the two main mobile operators have access to a new bandwidth.

Hossein Fallah, a deputy telecoms minister, said on Wednesday in a tweet that Iran’s communications regulatory body had issued licenses for the first operator the MCI and its rival the Irancell to access the 2,300 MHz band.

Fallah said that once fully deployed by the two operators after the installation of equipment, the new band will increase the capacity of fourth generation (4G) internet in Iran by 30%.

The 2,300 MHz band is popular among mobile operators for its wide spectrum and short range as it allows service providers to cover a large number of customers in densely-populated areas.

Iran’s fixed internet infrastructure back into government ownership

Iran’s telecoms minister says fixed internet infrastructure is back into government ownership.

Iran’s regulatory authority CRA had decided in March to allocate the bandwidth through holding an auction between the mobile operators in the country.

The decision came after demand for internet services in Iran soared amid the spread of the coronavirus pandemic which had caused many services to move online.

Mobile internet accounts for a bulk of high-speed network in Iran where over 125 million SIM cards are active. That comes as the total number of fixed internet customers in the country is below 8.5 million, according to a CRA report published in October.

Iran’s Association of Mobile Phone Importers said on Wednesday that the number of mobile phones switched on for a first time on the network had topped 1.85 million in the month to late June.

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