MTN Nigeria Communications has launched an open pilot of its highly anticipated 5G technology in seven Nigerian cities.
The company yesterday announced that it has selected seven cities, including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, Owerri, and Maiduguri, as locations where it intends to test its next-generation network infrastructure.
With the successful launch of this technology, Nigeria will join South Africa and Kenya as the only countries on the continent to have formally launched the 5G network.
Wherever there is coverage, customers with enabled devices will be able to connect and test out the new 5G service.
According to a report by BusinesDay, 5G technology has been switched on in 190 sites across the country, with more concentration in Lagos and Abuja. Some users of this technology have also reported internet speeds up to 1.4g per second.
MTN also announced that compatible devices, such as routers and mobile phones, have been displayed at their designated MTN walk-in stores and online via the MTN Nigeria website and e-marketplace, where customers can browse and place orders.
These devices aim to ensure customers enjoy seamless transitions with the new technology.
According to the Telecoms group, the purchased products will be delivered to customers after the event’s launch in the coming weeks.
This successful launch of the 5G technology comes eight months after the company paid $276 million for a licence.
Reports also reveal that customers with 5g-enabled Samsung phones should be able to access the technology within a month, while iPhone users might have to wait until October.
Recall that two telecoms companies, MTN and Mafab Communications, emerged as the winners of the 3.5GHz spectrum licence last December.
The Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, had given August 24, 2022, as the deadline to roll out the 5G technology. While MTN has launched its fifth-generation (5G) service, Mafab Communications has been granted a five-month extension for the rollout of the service in Nigeria.
According to a 2020 GSMA Intelligence report by The Mobile Economy, this development holds a huge prospect and a promising future for technology in Nigeria, as the spectrum issued to MTN Nigeria, as one of the two successful winners of the 5G licence bid, is projected to contribute $2.2 trillion to the global economy by 2034.
