Lesotho's mobile spectrum landscape is now easier to examine at operator and frequency band level. On 13 November 2026, we published its first Lesotho mobile spectrum allocation dashboard, bringing together recorded holdings for Vodacom Lesotho and Econet Telecom Lesotho across seven frequency bands.
The initial release maps 14 operator-assigned frequency blocks, seven for each company, alongside 11 rows labelled Unallocated in the frequency charts. The comparison covers spectrum from 700 MHz through 3500 MHz, making it possible to distinguish the operators' lower-frequency coverage resources from their traditional mobile broadband and 5G mid-band holdings.
Lesotho Spectrum Overview: Seven Bands and Two Mobile Operators
Both companies are listed by the Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) among the country's unified telecommunications licensees. Their spectrum holdings nevertheless have different structures. Econet appears in the 700 MHz and 850 MHz layers, while Vodacom has the mapped 800 MHz holding. Both operators are represented in the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz and 3500 MHz bands.
| Frequency band | Vodacom Lesotho | Econet Telecom Lesotho |
|---|---|---|
| 700 MHz FDD | Not shown | 2 x 30 MHz |
| 800 MHz FDD | 2 x 20 MHz | Not shown |
| 850 MHz FDD | Not shown | 2 x 10 MHz |
| 900 MHz FDD | 2 x 22.2 MHz | 2 x 12.6 MHz |
| 1800 MHz FDD | 2 x 30.2 MHz | 2 x 37.2 MHz |
| 2100 MHz FDD | 2 x 20 MHz | 2 x 20 MHz (reconstructed) |
| 3500 MHz TDD | 100 MHz | 100 MHz |
| Total mapped bandwidth | 284.8 MHz | 319.6 MHz |
Different Low-Band Portfolios Shape the Coverage Picture
The clearest difference lies below 1 GHz. Econet's mapped low-band portfolio includes 2 x 30 MHz at 700 MHz, 2 x 10 MHz at 850 MHz and 2 x 12.6 MHz at 900 MHz. Vodacom's corresponding holdings comprise 2 x 20 MHz at 800 MHz and 2 x 22.2 MHz at 900 MHz.
These assignments total 105.2 MHz of counted low-band bandwidth for Econet and 84.4 MHz for Vodacom when both FDD directions are included. The 20.8 MHz difference is meaningful as a spectrum-portfolio comparison, but it cannot by itself establish which operator has better geographic coverage or faster mobile broadband.
| Operator and band | Uplink frequency | Downlink frequency | Paired bandwidth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Econet, 700 MHz | 703-733 MHz | 758-788 MHz | 2 x 30 MHz |
| Vodacom, 800 MHz | 842-862 MHz | 801-821 MHz | 2 x 20 MHz |
| Econet, 850 MHz | 824.5-834.5 MHz | 869.5-879.5 MHz | 2 x 10 MHz |
Low-band spectrum generally supports wider-area propagation and stronger indoor signal penetration than higher-frequency capacity bands. For a mountainous country with dispersed communities, that can be particularly useful, although actual coverage depends on the number and location of radio sites, terrain, antenna design and network investment.
Vodacom Lesotho: Strong 800 MHz and 900 MHz Holdings
Vodacom's seven mapped operator blocks span five frequency layers: 800, 900, 1800, 2100 and 3500 MHz. Its paired holdings comprise 2 x 20 MHz at 800 MHz, 2 x 22.2 MHz at 900 MHz, 2 x 30.2 MHz at 1800 MHz and 2 x 20 MHz at 2100 MHz. An additional 100 MHz is shown in the 3.5 GHz TDD layer.
The 900 MHz holding consists of two mapped pieces, 2 x 10 MHz and 2 x 12.2 MHz. Similarly, the 1800 MHz holding is split into 2 x 20 MHz and 2 x 10.2 MHz components. These separate positions help explain why a band total alone does not necessarily describe one continuous radio channel.
Vodacom's counted FDD bandwidth amounts to 184.8 MHz across both transmission directions. Adding its 100 MHz TDD holding gives a mapped total of 284.8 MHz. The figures align with the 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz and 3.5 GHz quantities disclosed in Vodafone Group's FY2026 spectrum reporting. The Vodacom Lesotho operator page shows the corresponding band-level allocations.
Econet Telecom Lesotho: 700 MHz, 850 MHz and a Larger 1800 MHz Position
Econet's seven mapped blocks extend across six frequency layers. In addition to its 700 MHz and 850 MHz holdings, the dashboard shows 2 x 12.6 MHz at 900 MHz, 2 x 37.2 MHz at 1800 MHz, a reconstructed 2 x 20 MHz position at 2100 MHz and 100 MHz at 3.5 GHz.
The 1800 MHz holding is made up of two separated components, 2 x 24.8 MHz and 2 x 12.4 MHz, rather than one contiguous 37.2 MHz pair. Compared with Vodacom, Econet has 7 MHz more bandwidth in each FDD direction in this band.
Under the same counting convention, Econet's FDD holdings contribute 219.6 MHz and its TDD holding another 100 MHz, producing a total of 319.6 MHz. This exceeds Vodacom's mapped total by 34.8 MHz, primarily because of differences in low-band and 1800 MHz holdings. The Econet Telecom Lesotho operator page provides the companion allocation view.
Both Vodacom and Econet are shown with 100 MHz in the 3.5 GHz TDD range, an important mid-band resource for 5G New Radio.
Summary: Lesotho Mobile Spectrum Allocation as of 11 November 2026
The first Lesotho spectrum allocation overview, published on 11 November 2026, maps 14 operator-assigned blocks across seven frequency bands, seven blocks each for Vodacom Lesotho and Econet Telecom Lesotho. A further 11 chart rows are labelled Unallocated.
Vodacom's mapped holdings total 284.8 MHz and Econet's total 319.6 MHz, counting both directions of paired FDD spectrum and counting TDD bandwidth once. The principal differences are Econet's 700 MHz and 850 MHz positions, Vodacom's 800 MHz holding, and their unequal 900 MHz and 1800 MHz portfolios. Both operators are recorded with 2 x 20 MHz at 2100 MHz and 100 MHz at 3.5 GHz
Explore the Lesotho mobile spectrum allocation dashboard for the complete published frequency overview.