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Weeks after Vodacom launched its 5G commercial network to begin Africa’s run for the fifth generation of global system mobile technology, MTN South Africa has joined the fray with 100 5G sites across the country.
The 5G cell sites will offer network coverage in areas that include parts of Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, Durban and a host of other smaller towns.
MTN is Africa’s leading network. As at October 2019, MTN had over 31 million subscribers in South Africa, its home country where it is the second-biggest telco by number of subscribers after Vodacom.
But in Nigeria, it controls the market with about 68.5 million subscribers. Nigeria is its largest market out of the 21 countries where it operates. MTN had over 250 million users across its 21 operations as at the end of 2019.
MTN SA CEO Godfrey Motsa said during a live-streamed launch event that the operator was living to its name as a market leader.
“Today, from MTN’s birthplace of South Africa, we are stepping up our digital revolution with the next generation of telecommunication technology, demonstrating to all South Africans that 5G is no longer just an idea. It is here, it works and it has the capacity to bring about exponential improvements to our economy, and to the lives of the people we serve,” said Motsa.
MTN had last November in Nigeria test run the 5G technology with plans to launch this year. According to sources in the know, the operator is awaiting the green light of regulatory authorities to rollout 5G in some cities.
