During the XIVth day of the AfricaCom 2018, Nokia announced its investement for the application of the 5G standard in Africa, having collaborated with the South African operator "Rain “, For the launch of 5G services. The operator Rain presents itself as a provider of data services only. The launch and subsequent implementation of the 5G network is well aligned with the South African government's strategy of connecting unconnected people, improving the lives of citizens and meeting the main objective of the operator “Rain” to provide broadband internet accessible to the masses in South Africa.
Full network deployment is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2019, and services are expected to be released mid-2019 when 5G NR-based standards-based devices are available in the country. The carrier is in a unique position to offer 5G as they already have access to the 5G spectrum.
As one of the first to adopt the 5G, Rain will launch the technology in South Africa, ahead of many other countries globally. During the launch, Nokia and Rain showed the impact of the 5G and how it can provide even remote sites access to high-quality education. The classroom of the future will encompass virtual reality technology running on 5G networks to give South African citizens access to world-class education. This will not only improve the educational system in the country, but will also stimulate economic growth.
5G promises to enable faster speeds, massive connectivity, a decade-long battery life for super-responsive and reliable sensors and networks for customers. This will enable virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences, driverless vehicles, medical monitoring, advanced industrial automation services and more - all requiring low latency connectivity.
Marc Rouanne, president of Nokia for Mobile Networks, said:
"Nokia has a longstanding relationship with Rain, and we are proud to work with the company on 5G. Nokia believes that the 5G will change the connectivity scenario in South Africa and across the continent. It will connect disconnected and reformulated services, such as education and health, with the introduction of more connected things. 5G is a key investment and innovation and the connectivity it provides is critical to digital transformation. This is the way to open up new opportunities, improve education and boost economic growth. "
As part of Rain's 5G project, Nokia will deploy its AirScale radio access network solution in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Mangaung (Bloemfontein) regions. AirScale offers a new modular way to build radio access networks that provide services with high scalability and low latency. The company will also provide professional services for the deployment of the solution.
With existing access to the 5G spectrum and the launch of the first 5G sites, Rain is poised to take the assault market. "Rain is proud to be at the forefront of 5G worldwide and to work with Nokia and other partners to connect as many high-speed broadband services as possibleSays Willem Roos, CEO of Rain.
