Africa's mobile connectivity predominantly remains on 2G, while 5G technologies are poised for global dominance.
In the rapidly evolving world of technology, Africa is making strides towards embracing the next generation of mobile connectivity – 5G. However, the journey has been a gradual one, marked by both advancements and challenges.
While 5G is currently live in some parts of the continent, its widespread adoption remains limited. Major players like MTN, one of Africa's biggest telecom conglomerates, have started testing 5G in countries like Nigeria. However, few 5G-capable devices exist, and many of these are expensive, making mass adoption a distant reality for now.
The dominance of 2G and 3G in the African market persists, with 4G connections accounting for only 7% of the total mobile connections, significantly lower than the global average of 44%. This is a testament to the slow development of 5G mobile broadband in Africa, primarily due to the high costs associated with building the necessary infrastructure.
Among the African telecommunications companies, MTN Group stands out as the fastest in advancing 5G deployment and is already widely established with 4G. MTN has achieved 24% 4G coverage in Nigeria, and companies like Vodacom Ghana have secured approval for 4G spectrums. In Nigeria, Globacom launched its 4G services in 2016, and Airtel, the third biggest telco, followed suit in 2018.
The introduction of 4G has been facilitated by companies like KaiOS, which powers the next generation of feature phones. These ultra-cheap devices provide 3G and 4G connectivity, making internet access more affordable for many Africans.
In Lesotho and South Africa, the adoption of 5G is still in its infancy. In Lesotho, only the Central Bank and mining company have reportedly used 5G, according to a Deutsche Well report. Rain telecom company in South Africa launched a commercially available 5G service in October 2018, but it is only available in select locations.
Orange, a major player in the African telecom market, launched its 4G service in Senegal in 2016 and in Burkina Faso in 2019. Seven 4G LTE networks have been launched in different sub-Saharan African countries since early 2019.
Looking ahead, GSMA Intelligence predicts that companies globally will spend around $1 trillion over the next five years to upgrade to 5G. By 2025, GSMA predicts that 4G adoption will rise to 23% in Africa, indicating a slow but steady progression towards 5G. Rob Shuter, CEO of MTN Group, has stated that 5G would be used for specific cases and not a technology for everyone, suggesting a strategic approach to its implementation.
In conclusion, while the rollout of 5G in Africa is a gradual process, significant strides are being made. The affordability and availability of 5G-capable devices, as well as the infrastructure costs, remain key challenges. However, with the continued efforts of telecom companies and the introduction of cost-effective solutions like KaiOS feature phones, the future of 5G in Africa looks promising.
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