When Minister of Telecommunications Charles Hage announced a three-year plan to introduce 5G across Lebanon, questions immediately arose about the country’s ability to modernize its infrastructure.
The plan, revealed on October 15, aims to position Lebanon at the forefront of innovation. It promises ultra-fast internet speeds, minimal delays and the ability to connect millions of devices across homes, businesses and public services.
However, behind the ambitious project lies a more complicated reality. “For 5G to be more than just a slogan, we need a stable network, uninterrupted power supply and investments that match the scale of the ambition,” says an expert familiar with the project.
A former senior official at the Ministry of Telecommunications, speaking to This is Beirut on condition of anonymity, agrees. “Progress is important, of course, but first, we need to strengthen what we already have,” he says. “We should gradually phase out 2G and focus on 3G and 4G before seriously considering 5G. Right now, the network still has many weaknesses. If we spread our resources across multiple generations of technology, we risk failing everywhere.”
It is a clear-eyed observation backed by technical evidence, according to some analysts. “In a previous test, Lebanese operators reached record speeds of 1,800 Mbps. An impressive achievement, surely, but one without real structural impact,” the expert noted. He adds that a project of this scale requires a much higher density of antennas than 4G. To cover the same area, ensure reliable service and prevent the signal from being blocked by obstacles, more base stations are needed, along with stronger power capacity and constant maintenance. Yet, Lebanon still has areas where 3G and 4G are unstable or even nonexistent.
Another major challenge is the frequent power outages in many regions. These disruptions weaken any network infrastructure, which requires a constant power supply, including 5G stations, data centers and backhaul equipment – the intermediate network that links peripheral components to the core system.
Moreover, the appropriate spectrum, or frequency bands, must be available, well-regulated and allocated transparently. Legal and administrative frameworks need to advance alongside technical progress to prevent delays, cost overruns or political impediments.
Another issue to be considered is the cost of launching 5G. Lebanon has been facing an economic crisis since 2019, and both operators and the state will need to mobilize substantial capital to build, maintain and upgrade infrastructure, sometimes relying on imported equipment that is extremely expensive. When asked how much funding would be required, the senior official declined to comment. He emphasized instead, “You cannot embark on such a process halfway.”
Progress Made, But Gaps Remain
Despite these structural challenges, some industry players are pushing forward. Public and private operators are stepping up initiatives to modernize their networks and prepare for the arrival of 5G.
Last September, Alfa inaugurated a new data center in the Jdeideh area of Beirut, described as one of the most advanced in the country. It houses the core network and key platforms such as OCS, HLR, CS Core, IMS and others. These platforms form the technical backbone of the entire mobile network, handling subscriber identification, call switching, billing and modern multimedia services. The center is expected to support 40 to 45% of Alfa’s internet traffic.
Meanwhile, in 2018, operator Touch conducted a 5G demonstration at the Grand Serail, reaching speeds of around 1.5 Gbps and showcasing advanced applications such as cloud-based VR, which offloads the graphical processing of virtual reality headsets to remote servers.
At the same time, the state operator Ogero has been expanding fiber optic coverage across the country. In 2024, it connected more than 221,000 households to fiber and plans to add another 406,000. During this period, it also increased its backhaul capacity, the main links between stations or data centers, from 20 Gbps to 40 Gbps.
The progress is undeniable, but experts say it still falls short of what is needed to ensure a national 5G network is viable. In the meantime, 4G coverage remains uneven, many base stations lack proper maintenance, and power outages hinder overall network performance.
According to them, the rollout of 5G depends on more than just technology. It requires close coordination between Ogero, Alfa and Touch, strict oversight from the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, which was recently reactivated after more than a decade of inactivity, and a long-term strategic vision to organize the market, issue licenses, protect consumers and guide the sector over the long term.
“Lebanon will also need to rely on international partnerships, particularly from Europe and Asia, that can provide expertise and funding. Without this public-private cooperation, the project risks remaining a mirage,” warns the former senior official from the Ministry of telecommunication.
From a political standpoint, Lebanon is ready to take the plunge. Yet, a long road lies ahead before achieving a fully operational, reliable and accessible 5G network. The country has important building blocks in place: fiber optic networks, technical demonstrations, a central data center and a regulatory framework back in action. But network coverage, resilience to outages, financing and rural and peripheral connectivity remain major undertakings that must be addressed.
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