Liquid Telecom Is launching First 5G Wholesale Roaming Network Service In SA
We are all excited about 5G and we are all looking forward to when it will be available to all consumers. 5G promises to be extraordinary with the main advantage being greater speeds.
Locally, companies like Safaricom have been spotted testing out the new generation wireless technology.
In May 2019, Nokia was also in the country to showcase a series of 5G demos and how the tech can transform the way people live and work as well as enhance the industrial productivity in Kenya. At the event, Nokia also presented how this technology can immensely benefit telecom operators, enterprises and individuals.
Liquid Telecom has not been left behind either. The company has announced plans to launch the first 5G wholesale roaming service in South Africa. Available from early 2020 in all major South African cities, this latest fifth generation of mobile internet connectivity will enable wholesale operators to create innovative, ultra-fast and scalable digital services for their customers.
Liquid Telecom will use its 3.5GHz spectrum asset to build the 5G network and provide nationwide 5G wholesale services to the market early in 2020.
“This breakthrough 5G wholesale service will create of innovation in every aspect of South African society and industry,” says Strive Masiyiwa, Chairman, Liquid Telecom. “For the first time, mobile network operators and ISPs will have open access to Liquid Telecom’s new 5G mobile network. The launch of the service also underscores Liquid Telecom’s vision to bring high-speed connectivity to everyone.”
One of the most profound implications of the new service according to Liquid Telecom will be its impact on South Africa’s 4IR ambitions, where connected devices communicate with each other, automating the factory floor without the need for human intervention. The fusion of 5G, IoT and other technologies like AI and robotics will touch and transform every facet of business, creating entirely new ways of serving existing needs.
“This is a milestone moment for Liquid Telecom South Africa,” said Nic Rudnick, Group CEO. “Our wholesale operating partners can exploit our new ultra-fast 5G roaming network to build the next generation of communications and make innovation possible, anytime, anywhere. 5G will facilitate real-time remote collaboration, improved business efficiency and lower costs – ultimately driving growth in the South African economy.”
South Africa looks like it will be among the first African countries that will be early adopters of 5G. The country’s network operator rain made 5G network available to its existing customers in certain parts of Johannesburg and Tshwane in September last year. The operator announced the activation of what is said to be Africa’s first commercial 5G network.
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