On December 19, Tryphon Kin Kiey Mulumba, minister of posts, telecommunications and new technologies of information and communication of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), initiated a preliminary LTE license consultation, during which time he met with the CEOs of the DRC’s established wireless operators to discuss terms and pricing. The move may signal that the introduction of 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) licenses in the DRC could occur as early as 2014.

Back in July 2012, 3G licenses were introduced in the DRC, with Airtel DRC, Oasis Telecom (Tigo), Vodacom Congo and Africell all acquiring concessions at $15 million apiece. Orange (then Congo Chine Telecom or CCT) received 3G authorization when it was included with its October 2011 license renewal.