F5.5G Leap-forward Development of Broadband in Africa The Africa Broadband Forum 2024 (BBAF 2024) was successfully held in Cape Town, South Africa recently, under…
Vodacom will switch on its 5G network in South Africa this year
After Rain got a jump on it in late 2019, Vodacom will now push its own 5G network to the masses in 2020.
The news broke via a quarterly company update (pdf) which also saw it gain 2.7-million customers in the quarter ending 31 December 2019 across Africa.
But it’s the 5G news that’s really important for South Africans.
The company secured a roaming agreement with wholesaler Liquid Telecom effectively allowing it to use its 3.5 GHz spectrum.
3.5GHz, also known as the “Golden Band” is believed to be the optimal frequency to carry 5G applications.
It’s not clear when Vodacom will switch on its 5G services.
Last year, it trialled 5G at the Durban July horse race alongside Nokia and LG. It also switched on the first 5G network in Southern Africa in Lesotho back in 2018.
Feature image: Andy Walker/Memeburn
