Chad and Cameroon Tackle Cross-Border Signal Interference in Joint Telecom Mission

In a significant step toward enhancing digital sovereignty and improving cross-border telecommunications, the Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARCEP)  of Chad and the Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ART)  of Cameroon have successfully completed a joint technical mission aimed at coordinating frequencies and reducing radio-electric signal intrusions along their shared border.

The mission, held from June 30 to July 8, 2025, followed the commitments made during a high-level bilateral meeting on June 16. Spearheaded by Idriss Béchir Soumaine, Director of Radiocommunications and Normalization at ARCEP Chad, and Mouhamadou Awallou, Technical Advisor #1 at ART Cameroon, the initiative brought together key regulatory officials and representatives from major telecom operators including Airtel Chad, Moov Africa Chad, MTN Cameroon, Orange Cameroon, and CAMTEL.

The primary objective of the collaboration was to curb the intrusion of radio-electric signals across borders, particularly in the strategically sensitive urban areas of N’Djamena and Kousseri. Through extensive field operations and signal measurement (drive-tests), the teams assessed the impact of intrusive 2G, 3G, and 4G signals in these regions.

Key Outcomes of the Mission:

• Elimination of Cameroonian signal intrusions in N’Djamena following technical adjustments by operators.
• Detection of Chadian signal penetration into Kousseri, with commitments made to address and remove these intrusions.
• Establishment of defined signal thresholds to prevent future violations and maintain radio-electric sovereignty for both countries.

The mission also included a review of the operational readiness for the Chad-Cameroon Free Roaming agreement, with a technical refresh now paving the way for an anticipated rollout by August 11, 2025. While some contractual elements remain under discussion, the groundwork for implementation has been solidified.

At the conclusion of the mission, several bilateral commitments were agreed upon:

• Adherence to authorized signal strength limits across borders.
• Elimination of all unauthorized cross-border signals.
• Finalization and signing of a new Border Frequency Coordination Agreement.

The closing ceremony was presided over by Haliki Choua Mahamat, Director-General of ARCEP Chad, who commended the technical rigor and strong collaboration between both regulatory bodies. He emphasized that the results mark a new phase in subregional cooperation, aiming to improve service quality for citizens living in border communities and reinforce digital sovereignty.

This successful joint initiative demonstrates the growing alignment between Chad and Cameroon in managing shared digital infrastructure and protecting their telecommunications ecosystems.