Algeria’s Postal and Electronic Communications Regulatory Authority (ARPCE) has opened a competitive bidding process aimed at extending mobile wireless network coverage to roughly 3,000 sparsely populated areas across the country.
The tender, announced September 7, is designed to close longstanding connectivity gaps in remote and underserved regions, where residents have historically had limited or no access to reliable mobile networks.
The initiative falls under ARPCE’s regulatory mandate, which governs how telecom expansion projects are rolled out nationally. By opening the process to competitive bidding, the regulator aims to attract multiple operators and infrastructure providers, potentially speeding up rollout timelines and improving service quality once the selected projects are implemented.
The move reflects a broader push across North Africa to reduce the urban-rural digital divide, as governments increasingly view universal connectivity as essential infrastructure alongside roads, water, and electricity.