The Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation (TTCL) plans to increase its Fibre to the Home (FTTH) connections to about 750,000 by June 2027 as the Government steps up efforts to expand access to digital services.
The target is part of TTCL’s wider investment in high-speed internet infrastructure as more Tanzanians increasingly depend on digital platforms for payments, education, business and access to public services.
Minister for Communication and Information Technology Angellah Kairuki said on Tuesday that expanding connectivity alone would not be enough unless citizens also had access to devices and the skills required to use digital services.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam after visiting TTCL’s Integrated Fibre Service Centre in Kijitonyama, Ms Kairuki said Tanzania had reached 47 per cent smartphone penetration, with the Government working with stakeholders to increase access to digital devices.
“It would not make sense for TTCL and other telecommunications networks to provide these services while customers themselves are unable to use them. We must continue promoting the available services so that citizens can understand and use them,” she said.
The minister said the Government’s 10-year digital transformation plan was aimed at helping citizens understand and adopt digital technologies while improving access to modern devices.
She said TTCL had made significant progress in expanding FTTH services, with the corporation now moving into the second phase after the first phase connected a large number of customers.
TTCL Director General Moremi Marwa said the corporation had so far constructed about 330,000 FTTH connections, with approximately 115,000 customers already subscribed to the service.
He said TTCL planned to construct another 400,000 connections during the 2026/27 financial year, bringing the total infrastructure to nearly 750,000 connections across the country.
“We have set a target of reaching approximately 750,000 connections by June 2027,” Mr Marwa said.
He said TTCL was using Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) technology, which allows the corporation to connect more customers simultaneously than the previous point-to-point technology.
The expansion is expected to make high-speed internet more accessible to households, offices and other users, while supporting the growing demand for digital services.
Ms Kairuki also highlighted the role of the National ICT Broadband Backbone in improving internet speeds and helping reduce the cost of connectivity.
She said TTCL was integrating fibre services with Smart Home technology to allow households to use digital systems designed to improve convenience and access to services.
The corporation has also introduced its Triple Hub service, which allows users to access services through different devices, including mobile phones, laptops and landline phones, under a single package.
Ms Kairuki said the service could also benefit families living in different parts of the country, allowing members in places such as Dar es Salaam, Dodoma and Mbeya to remain connected through one package.
She urged Tanzanians of all age groups to embrace TTCL’s services, saying the corporation had undergone significant changes in the way it delivers services.
“We warmly welcome all Tanzanians, across all age groups. TTCL is well prepared and we have already achieved a lot. The TTCL you know today is not the TTCL of the past; it has changed significantly in the way it provides its services,” she said.
Ms Kairuki acknowledged that service delivery challenges were inevitable as the number of users increased, but said TTCL was continuing to improve its systems, including customer-care services.
Mr Marwa said the corporation’s investment in fibre infrastructure was also intended to ensure that Government-owned digital infrastructure directly benefits citizens.
He said the expansion was particularly important as Tanzania sought to strengthen its digital economy, a priority also reflected in the National Development Vision 2050.
“TTCL will continue building infrastructure and connecting citizens to enable them to participate fully in the digital economy,” he said.