Many governments across Africa have been incredibly optimistic that technological advances are the key to pulling Africans out of the developing and into the developed space. One such emerging technology that has a lot of weight and emphasis is 5G technology. Some analysts predict that 5G could add USD 2,2 trillion to Africa's economy by 2034.
However, countries across the continent are struggling to roll out the new technology due to infrastructure challenges, adoption issues, the expensive nature of the technology and the devices needed to use it, and even security concerns surrounding 5G.
Many African countries are currently testing 5G, as is the case in Angola, via the operator Unitel, and some have successfully launched the technology on a commercial basis.
These are the countries currently testing or planning to launch 5G services:
- Angola
UNITEL SA (Angola) and Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) announced the successful completion of the first 5G data call in Angola using an allocated mid-band spectrum of 3,5 GHz.
The 5G infrastructure used is supported by Ericsson 5G Radio Core and Access technologies, for NSA networks (Non Stand Alone🇧🇷 These solutions enable a rapid market launch of 5G, leveraging existing network infrastructure and focusing on enhanced mobile broadband to provide greater data bandwidth and reliable connectivity, namely to the Internet.
- Ghana
MTN Ghana announced last year that it plans to bring commercial 5G services to Ghana in 2023. At present, telcom is still making efforts to cover the country in 4G technology and infrastructure, having achieved 73% coverage of the country in recent years.
- Uganda
Uganda became the first country in East Africa to start testing the rollout of 5G technology in January 2020, but the country has yet to commercially launch any 5G services to the public.
- Senegal
Senegal has been conducting 5G trials since November 2020, with Sonatel and Orange Senegal leading the testing front in the Dakar region. Commercial 5G services have not yet launched.
- Niga © ria
Africa's biggest economy and most populous country issued spectrum licenses for 5G services in March after years of negotiations. Now, the country looks set to launch its first commercial 5G services this August, with hopes of having Africa's widest 5G network once it launches.
BUT: 5G technology and airport security
- Maurício
The islands of Mauritius are still awaiting the commercial deployment of 5G after the country's government announced that 5G networks would be deployed to cover 4 zones in July 2021 via Mauritius Telecom.
- Madagascar
The country of Madagascar launched its first commercial 5G network in July 2020 through Telma, following the example of South Africa. However, just three weeks after the first announcements, Madagascar's Technology and Communications Regulatory Agency ordered the telecom company to suspend its 5G plans.
Countries are still waiting for 5G services.
- Lesotho
The tiny country of Lesotho has faced a distinct back and forth when it comes to its commercial 5G rollout. In 2018, the government of Lesotho gave Vodacom temporary spectrum to test the technology. So far, the people of Lesotho still do not enjoy any 5G service.
- Kenya
East Africa's economic powerhouse has been testing 5G technology for more than a year, but subscribers in the country will still have to wait another year for commercial launch until the country's mobile operators are granted spectrum licenses by the government.
- Gabon
Gabon has been testing 5G technology since 2019, but the country's leading telcom, Gabon Telecom, has yet to launch commercial 5G services. It is currently eyeing a 2023 commercial release.
- Egypt
Orange Egypt received spectrum from the Egyptian government to start testing 5G services and networks, along with companies including Vodafone Egypt, Egypt Telecom and E& Egypt.
5G trials are still ongoing and Egyptians will apparently have to continue to wait.
The 5 African countries that have already launched commercial 5G services:
- South Africa
South Africa was an early adopter of 5G services on the continent, launching the technology in 2020 on a temporary spectrum allocated to accommodate the massive shift of the workforce to their homes during the height of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown. The first telecom companies to launch the service were Rain, MTN and Vodacom.
BUT: How digital marketing will change with the entry of the 5G network in the country
In March 2022, South Africa raised almost USD 1 billion during a long-awaited 5G spectrum auction marred by controversy and legal conflicts.
- Zimbábue
Zimbabwean telecommunications company Econet announced in February that it had launched the country's first 5G network. There are currently 10 active 5G sites located in Harare, the country's capital, and the surrounding area.
The company has plans to activate 12 more 5G infrastructure sites in the coming months.
- Seychelles
Located in the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles islands welcomed the launch of the fifth generation of mobile internet in November 2020, however many of the islanders responded negatively to the launch citing health problems.
In 2021, however, six regions in the Seychelles are seeing internet speeds faster than 1,2Gbps from certain 5G providers.
- Botswana
On February 25, Mascom, Botswana's telecommunications company, rolled out 5G to residents of Gaborone, the country's capital. Deployment started with just 4 sites in the city, with plans to build a further 100 stations by the end of 2022.
- Etiópia
On May 9, Ethiopia announced that it was launching trials for its first 5G mobile network in the capital city. The Horn of Africa country has recently begun to expand its telecommunications capabilities beyond its government roots.
Earlier this month, however, Ethio Telecom launched 5G services at a huge event full of pomp and circumstance in Addis Ababa.
