Technical issues are to blame for Madagascar's delayed 5G launch, according to the country's regulators.

The Agency for Regulation of Technology and Communication (Autorite de Regulation des Technologies de Communications, ARTEC) this month revealed that anomalies were being detected during 5G tests.

These tests were carried out by an unnamed mobile operator across 20 different sites (17 in Antananarivo and three in Taomasina), and led to interference with neighboring frequency bands, notes Comms Update.

However, ARTEC has said that it expects 5G to be operational in the country soon, despite the setbacks.

The regulator says that it is planning to publish a roadmap detailing measures to reorganize frequency band usage, to ensure that the 5G spectrum is allocated 'under optimal conditions'.

In 2020 Telecom Malagasy (Telma) launched a 5G network in Antananarivo and Taomasina, but was forced to shut it down by ARTEC a month after launching. ARTEC claimed that Telma did not have permission to launch the network, which used spectrum in the 3.6GHz to 3.7GHz band.

Airtel, Telma, Orange, and bip/Blueline are all mobile operators on the island nation.