State-owned telco Societe des Telecoms de Guinee (Sotelgui), now known as Guinee Telecom, could be operational in the Republic of Guinea as early as the end of this month.

That is according to reports from the local publication Mosaique Guinee.

It's been noted that the operator carried out network tests last month as part of plans to launch mobile services by the end of 2022, however, this did not materialize.

Guinee Telecom's imminent launch was confirmed by the Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and the Digital Economy, Ousmane Gaoual Diallo, who informed the Council of Ministers.

"The Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and the Digital Economy has announced the operationalization of the company Guinee Telecom by the end of January 2023," said Diallo.

The operator has previously revealed plans to launch 4G and 5G services, to keep up with the competition.

The relaunch of Sotelgui follows a turbulent last decade for the company after it was declared bankrupt in February 2013, which left the country reliant on mobile networks from international providers including Orange, MTN, and Cellcom.