Ethiopia: Mobile Coverage & Carriers
Ethiopia's mobile market is served by two major operators: Ethio Telecom and Safaricom Ethiopia. The country has commercially launched 3G, 4G/LTE, and 5G services. However, confidence in the current deployment details is low, and verification of some specifications is ongoing.
A roaming eSIM in Ethiopia is likely to connect via LTE bands B3 (1800 MHz) and B8 (900 MHz), or potentially via 5G band n78 (3.5 GHz) where available. Some local carriers issue eSIMs, though the extent of eSIM support across all operators should be verified before travel or relocation.
| Connectivity | As publicly reported |
|---|---|
| Network generations | 3G, 4G/LTE, 5G |
| Main mobile networks (MNOs) | Ethio Telecom, Safaricom Ethiopia |
| Key travel bands | B3(1800), B8(900), n78(3.5GHz) |
| Local eSIM support | Some local carriers issue eSIMs |
| Region | Africa |
| Capital | Addis Ababa |
| Calling code | +251 |
eSIM for Ethiopia → · eSIM vs roaming →
Compiled from public-record telecom facts (the MNO roster, commercially-launched 3G/4G/5G generations, deployed travel-relevant bands and local-eSIM support) and verified June 2026; see the source we compile this country from. This country's connectivity row is currently low-confidence (small / island / single-operator / fast-changing market), so treat the carrier, band and 5G details as a starting point we are still verifying. How we compile this. Plan prices are supplied by the eSIM provider feed at publish time, not stored here.