The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has issued new guidelines to provide innovators, researchers, and start-ups with free communication resources, allowing them to test projects before commercial deployment.
TCRA Director General, Dr. Jabiri Bakari, said the initiative is designed to foster innovative solutions to community challenges while promoting the growth of telecommunications, broadcasting, postal, and courier services.
“This programme strengthens Tanzania’s digital innovation ecosystem, ensuring start-ups have the tools and support to create solutions that positively impact society through technology,” Dr. Bakari said.
The resources offered include electronic numbering, radio frequency spectrum, .tz domain names, and postcodes.
These are provided temporarily, free of charge, typically for three months. Numbering resources include short codes used in digital transactions, while radio spectrum ranging from 3 kilohertz (kHz) to 3000 gigahertz (GHz) carries sound, images, video, data, and SMS services.
Domain names are unique identifiers for websites at national and global levels, while postcodes, a five-digit system, help identify locations from zones down to wards.
They facilitate social service delivery and enable e-commerce by supporting physical delivery of digital purchases.
TCRA is partnering with the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), requiring innovators to obtain COSTECH endorsement before submitting proposals.
Dr. Bakari emphasized that this initiative is part of TCRA’s efforts to mainstream science and technology at all education levels and support ICT innovation, including digital clubs in schools.
The programme aligns with the Tanzania Digital Economy Strategic Framework (2024–2034) and the Third Five-Year Development Plan (FYDP III), which aim to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education from an early stage.
“A strong STEM foundation is vital for building a prosperous and inclusive digital economy,” Dr. Bakari noted, stressing that the initiative is a step toward a Tanzania driven by digital innovation.