Mozambique’s regulator INCM, working with World Mobile, has launched a national TV White Space (TVWS) spectrum database, a first for the country and a milestone for affordable broadband.
The system makes better use of unused TV frequencies to deliver connectivity, especially in rural and peri-urban areas. For World Mobile, it marks a step up from local deployments to infrastructure at a national scale.
What is INCM?
INCM, short for Instituto Nacional das Comunicações de Moçambique, is Mozambique’s national communications regulator. Much like the FCC in the United States or Ofcom in the UK, it manages spectrum, sets telecom rules, and ensures that operators serve the public fairly.
Mozambique’s Telecom Landscape
Mozambique has about 33 million people spread along the southeast coast of Africa. While Maputo and a few cities enjoy decent coverage, large parts of the country remain underserved.
More than half of Mozambicans still lack regular internet access, especially in rural districts where broadband is rare. Most people rely on mobile networks rather than fixed lines, yet even then, active SIM connections cover only around 55% of the population. On top of this, mobile data is expensive compared to average income, leaving many unable to afford devices or sustained access.[1]
These realities make Mozambique a strong candidate for innovative spectrum approaches, such as using TV White Space to deliver broadband.
The INCM and World Mobile partnership
On 3 September 2025, INCM and World Mobile confirmed the transfer of Mozambique’s national TV White Space spectrum database. Built, tested, and validated together, the system is now fully under INCM’s management.
The handover was highlighted at the ITU Global Symposium for Regulators in Riyadh, where it was presented as a step toward modern spectrum governance and inclusive connectivity.
Spectrum recap and TVWS
Spectrum is the finite range of radio frequencies that carry wireless signals, from TV and radio to mobile data and Wi-Fi. Governments divide it into bands, deciding which parts are licensed and which are open for shared use.
TV White Space refers to the gaps between broadcast TV channels that aren’t in use in a given place. These low-frequency bands travel long distances and penetrate walls and trees more easily than higher frequencies. That makes them especially useful for rural and peri-urban coverage at lower cost.
Read more: What is Spectrum and CBRS?
The opportunity with TVWS
Traditional mobile networks rely on costly spectrum auctions, which often leave less capital for rural expansion. TVWS offers another path by safely reusing idle TV channels.
- Signals reach further and handle obstacles better
- Equipment is cheaper to deploy compared to high-frequency networks
This makes TVWS one of the most practical tools for universal service projects where fiber or dense tower networks are hard to justify.
What is a TVWS database?
A TVWS database acts like a referee. When a certified device registers its location and antenna details, the database responds with a list of free channels and safe power levels. Devices must re-check regularly. This ensures:
- No interference with broadcasters
- Efficient use of spectrum that would otherwise sit unused
What solution did this project bring?
The Mozambique system introduces three key features:
- Dynamic spectrum governance: allocating channels in real time under INCM’s rules
- Interference protection: safeguarding broadcasters through controlled assignments
- Service enablement: giving ISPs, operators, and communities a clear path to request access
Instead of letting valuable frequencies sit idle, the database turns them into engines for new services, from household broadband to village hotspots.
Mrs Helena Fernandes, Chairperson, INCM, said:
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This milestone reflects INCM’s commitment to modern spectrum management and inclusive connectivity. By embracing innovative tools such as TV White Space, Mozambique can accelerate safe, efficient expansion of broadband services for citizens and businesses across the country.
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Why use World Mobile Chain for this?
Legacy spectrum databases are often costly, slow to deploy, and hard to audit. By using the World Mobile Chain, Mozambique gains a system that is faster, more efficient, and easier to manage:
- Lower cost and faster rollout: automation and secure records cut overhead and delays
- Transparent oversight: regulator-controlled logs are easy to verify without extra paperwork
- Open participation: operators, ISPs, and communities can take part directly
- Web3 services included: users gain access to digital identity, private networking, storage, and payments, with privacy built into the chain
Next steps
With the database now live, INCM will provide guidance for service providers that want to apply for TVWS access. World Mobile will support through knowledge transfer and training sessions where needed. INCM will also track performance and ensure that TVWS adoption stays aligned with national policy as it scales across the country.
This benefits everyone
Mozambique’s TV White Space database shows that innovation and regulation can move forward together. With INCM’s oversight and World Mobile’s blockchain technology, the country has built a model for affordable, interference-free broadband that others can follow.
It opens the door for millions of Mozambicans to participate in the digital economy and sets an example other nations can build on.
DataReportal 2024; U.S. International Trade Administration ICT Guide; Alliance for Affordable Internet benchmarks ↩︎