Angola‘s leading mobile operator, Unitel, has partnered with international wholesale carrier BICS to enable full international voice and roaming connectivity for a newly launched mobile network operator (Unitel-STP) in São Tomé and Príncipe. BICS Unitel roaming São Tomé and Príncipe

Launched in July 2014, Unitel-STP marks the operator’s expansion into the island nation off the western coast of Central Africa. The partnership with BICS is designed to improve the island’s digital infrastructure by delivering reliable international mobile services for both residents and inbound travelers.

Fast Deployment of Roaming and International Services

BICS, known globally for its carrier-grade communication solutions, confirmed that it had successfully deployed a full suite of international connectivity services — including voice, SMS messaging, signaling, and GRX (data roaming) — within just two months. This rapid rollout has enabled users on the island to access international calling and roaming capabilities, a major leap forward for the local telecom sector.

“Unitel came to us earlier this year with their project of launching a new MNO in São Tomé and Príncipe,” said Clémentine Fournier, Regional Vice President Africa at BICS.
“Located on an island, Unitel wanted to offer their very first customers not only the ability to call and send SMS abroad, but also access to roaming services.”

Broader Scope Planned for Later in the Year

According to BICS, further international capabilities will be introduced before the end of the year, including support for Instant Roaming and its OC Roaming Hub, which will significantly enhance the network’s reach and roaming experience.

Supporting Africa’s Connectivity Growth

This partnership reflects BICS’s growing footprint in Africa. The company recently opened three regional offices across the continent and established a point-of-presence (PoP) in Johannesburg, aimed at reducing latency and improving internet traffic exchange across African networks.

BICS and Unitel have previously collaborated on innovation in the region: in 2013, they made headlines by facilitating Africa’s first LTE video roaming call, marking another milestone in the continent’s telecom evolution.

About BICS Unitel roaming São Tomé and Príncipe

BICS (Belgacom International Carrier Services) is a Brussels‑based global communications enabler and a subsidiary of Proximus Group. Founded in 1997, BICS specialises in wholesale voice, messaging, data and connectivity services for telecom operators, MVNOs, enterprises and IoT deployments across more than 200 countries. The company carries around 50% of the world’s data roaming traffic, serves over 500 mobile operators, and in 2021 handled 20.8 billion minutes of international voice traffic, generating nearly €999 million in revenues.

Backed by a wholly‑owned 100 Gbps‑capable DWDM network across Western Europe, 140+ Points of Presence and 40+ Internet Exchange partnerships, BICS combines owned infrastructure with submarine‑cable capacity and bilateral agreements to ensure resilience and reach.