Safaricom has no plans to launch 5G in the Short-term

5G is slowly but steadily being launched by different telcos around the world. In Kenya, we are yet to see the so-called next generation of wireless communications or simply 5G.

Kenya’s leading telco Safaricom hinted at plans to launch 5G at the end of last year, but that didn’t happen. In a recent update from the company on matters 5G, Peter Ndegwa, CEO at Safaricom, said there are no plans to launch the network in the short term.

“…in terms of immediacy, we are not intending at this stage to go big on 5G in the near term,” Ndegwa said (via BusinessDaily).

However, he reveals the telco has already conducted 5G trials in Kenya.

Furthermore, Ndegwa says the company will continue to talk with the government on spectrum issues.

Safaricom still sees a massive opportunity in 4G. They plan to “exploit and fully utilize” their 4G network before making the big switch to 5G.

Currently, the telco major plans involve switching its 2G and 3G users to 4G. Safaricom pledged to connect the whole country with its 4G network by the end of 2020, during its 20th anniversary since entering the market in 2000.

The telco selected troubled Chinese tech giant, Huawei, to build its 5G infrastructure. Huawei has been termed a national security threat by the US, which has urged its allies to block the Chinese technology company from taking part in their 5G networks.

Kenya’s second-largest telco Airtel Kenya has also been keen on 5G. The company recently inked a deal with Nokia to modernize its network infrastructure and ready it for 5G.

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