AI marks new era in managing Algeria’s telecom networks
ALGIERS – Algeria’s telecommunications sector is entering a new phase marked by accelerated transformation, driven by continued growth in data consumption and the rollout of 5G technology, alongside a shift by mobile operators toward broader integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics in network management, service quality improvement, and responses to subscriber needs.
According to data from the Regulatory Authority of Post and Electronic Communications (ARPCE), mobile internet subscriptions in Algeria surged to 55.94 million by the end of the third quarter of 2025, while over 50 million of those connections were registered on the 4G network, pushing total quarterly data traffic past 1.63 billion gigabytes.
The figures highlight growing public reliance on digital services, with average monthly data consumption per subscriber jumping to 10.13 gigabytes in Q3 2025, up from 8.72 gigabytes during the same period the previous year.
This development coincides with telecom operators shifting toward making “AI- and data-analytics-driven transformation” a core element of their strategies for the coming years, through network monitoring and maintenance, optimization of resource use, and personalization of services and offers, prompting them to invest in training local talent and linking the sector to universities and research institutions, notably the National School of Artificial Intelligence (ENSIA).
ENSIA Director Abdelmalik Bachir told APS that cooperation between the school and the telecom sector has gone beyond the traditional framework of training and internships, stressing that the school views AI as a tool that can be integrated at various levels, from technical management to human resources.
He added that the key priority now is building long-term partnerships between universities, businesses, and <a href="https://bitcomme.com/african-ai-startups-tap-gulf-cloud-infrastructure-to-scale/” title=”African AI Startups Tap Gulf Cloud Infrastructure to Scale”>startups to successfully scale experimental AI concepts into widespread, genuine solutions.
Regarding network operation itself, telecom technology expert Younes Kerrar said the fundamental shift AI is bringing lies in the move from “addressing faults and congestion after they occur to anticipating them and intervening before they affect service quality.”
For his part, IT expert Yazid Akdal focused on the data these systems depend on, stating that the effectiveness of any AI model remains tied first to the quality of the data an institution collects, organizes, and continuously updates.
However, the expansion of subscriber data analysis has placed privacy and personal data protection at the heart of this transformation, with Akdal stressing that the use of this data must remain governed by the purpose for which it was collected and by the legal framework regulating it.
This accelerated transformation is placing the telecom sector at a stage where AI becomes a core part of the network’s own operation, facilitating reliance on digital services and keeping pace with the expansion of 5G and the Internet of Things, with implications for quality of life and the continued expansion of economic activities and communication-related services.
