(Credit: Nicolas Asfouri/AFP)
BEIRUT — Touch and Alfa, Lebanon’s two mobile operators, announced Thursday that they were expanding the rollout of fifth-generation (5G) mobile services in coordination with the Telecommunications Ministry.
5G is designed to provide faster internet speeds, lower latency (or a shorter delay in transmitting data), and the capacity to connect a much larger number of devices than previous generations. The world’s first nationwide commercial 5G networks were launched in South Korea in April 2019.
Alfa activates 5G in selected areas
Alfa announced in a statement that it had permanently restored the 5G stations initially activated during Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Lebanon in late November 2025, when large crowds gathered for the occasion.
The operator said its 5G service became available Thursday in downtown Beirut, Antelias, Dekwaneh, the Beirut Port area and the vicinity of the Presidential Palace in Baabda.
According to Alfa, the activation is intended in particular to meet the rise in internet consumption during the summer season, which is marked by the arrival of large numbers of Lebanese expatriates.
The company added that it would soon deploy additional 5G stations in Dbayeh, the airport area, Adlieh, and Jounieh. These will be followed by 75 stations distributed across other parts of the country, with the locations to be announced at a later date.
Touch to activate 15 5G sites
As for Touch, the provider unveiled its implementation plan during an executive meeting held Thursday, coinciding with "the arrival in Beirut of the first batch of 5G equipment and stations."
"Today, we are moving from the preparation phase to the actual implementation phase ahead of the commercial launch of the service," said Touch chairman Karim Salam.
According to Salam, Touch began implementing its 5G rollout program six months ago. The company selected technological solutions provided by Huawei and Nokia and has since completed the necessary technical studies, field surveys, and preparatory work, as well as the procurement of equipment.
Touch plans to activate 15 5G sites covering several key areas of Beirut before the end of August.
Between September and November, the operator is expected to deploy another 60 sites in Beirut, the area surrounding Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, the Greater Beirut Area, Batroun, Jbeil, Jounieh, Tripoli, and Zahle, as well as several other areas outside the capital.
The company will then move to a second phase, involving the gradual expansion of its 5G network across the rest of Lebanon, including the south, the area most affected by the war between Hezbollah and Israel since October 2023.
The 5G deployment is part of a broader plan to upgrade Touch’s infrastructure. The operator also intends to upgrade an additional 75 sites to 4.5G and build 75 new sites in rural areas before the end of 2026 to address coverage gaps and improve service quality.
Three-year nationwide project
A source at the Telecommunications Ministry told L’Orient-Le Jour that work to install the transmission stations had begun as part of a three-year project.
The project includes the installation of 150 stations, divided equally between Alfa and Touch.
"The first shipment has arrived and includes 50 stations ready for installation, while the remaining batches will arrive successively," the source said.
Technical teams are expected to begin installing the first 15 stations early next week, prioritizing areas where pressure on the mobile network is greatest, the source added.
The project’s total cost is around $1 million, according to the same source. This includes installation work, the activation of licenses allowing 5G technology to operate on existing equipment, and upgrades to parts of the network so that it can accommodate and operate all the stations.
Between 20 and 25 percent of subscribers are expected to benefit from the installation of the first 150 stations.
"In subsequent phases, the share of beneficiaries could rise to around 70 percent of the Lebanese population," the ministry source said.
