Sylvia Mulinge, the chief executive officer of MTN Uganda has announced that the company has gone live with the 5G internet services.
The announcement makes MTN the first national telecom operator to roll out 5G in Uganda.
“By going live, we are giving our users an experience of the internet that doesn’t buffer due to low latency. The 5G revolution will impact every aspect of our lives, especially business customers, oil and gas, content creators, etc. Will create a platform for everyone in the tech space to innovate more leveraging on the technology” she said.
Mulinge added that the rollout of the technology will have a great impact on Uganda as a major investment destination.
“Uganda will now be positioned as a digital hub”.
5G is the fifth-generation technology standard for broadband cellular networks, which cellular phone companies began deploying worldwide in 2019, and is the planned successor to the 4G networks which provide connectivity to most current cellphones.
The rollout of the 5G internet spectrum will start within the areas of Bugolobi and Lugogo in Kampala city. Thereafter, the internet will be rolled to other sites across the country. Mulinge said they have chosen to start with Lugogo and Bugolobi because the two areas have the highest concentration of devices that support 5G internet speed in the country.
5G technology is praised for having high downloading speeds estimated at 1GB per second, low latency when connected with cameras, and high feedback when using virtual reality (VR). The first commercial demonstration of 5G was launched in March 2023 at the Hima Cement factory in Kasese district. Subsequently, the government of Uganda granted MTN the 5G spectrum license in June 2023.
Among the conditions for the license is the requirement for MTN to provide internet speeds of 50MBs per second and 100 per cent indoor coverage across Kampala by the end of 2024. MTN is also required to upgrade several sites across major cities in the country to 5G.
To access this service, users will need to own gadgets that support 5G internet speeds. Some of these include; Tecno Camon, the Tecno Phantom, and an iPhone 12 and above, among others.
However, Somdev Sen, the chief marketing officer of MTN said they were in talks with phone manufacturers to make affordable devices that can support 5G in Uganda.
Somdev said, “We want todemocratize 5 G-enabled devices by partnering with different manufacturers. We are in extended talks with Samsung to manufacture affordable phones compatible with 5G”
He added, “We need to be very responsible to our clients as we roll out 5G. We will be releasing dedicated bundles for 5G speed. this will give our users value for money and the right user experiences on our network”.
The Obserever
