South Africa has become the first country in Africa to experience a live commercial 5G mobile network. Mobile operator Vodacom Group said it has switched on Africa’s first live 5G mobile network in three cities in South Africa, with further rollouts planned in other parts of the country.

“Vodacom’s 5G launch in South Africa comes at an important time as it will help us improve our network efficiency during the COVID-19 national state of disaster,” Chief Executive Shameel Joosub said.

“This is largely due to the allocation of temporary spectrum by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) which has already mitigated the network congestion we have experienced since the start of the lockdown period.”

Here Is All You Need To Know

• Vodacom was recently assigned temporary spectrum by ICASA for the duration of the national state of disaster, including 50 MHz in the 3.5 GHz band. The operator said it used the spectrum to fast-track its 5G launch. It also makes Vodacom the first operator to activate temporary spectrum in South Africa.
• The network will support both mobile and fixed wireless services and is currently available on twenty live 5G sites, eighteen of which are in Gauteng and two in Cape Town. With immediate effect, Vodacom customers with 5G enabled devices, and within a 5G coverage area, can access the new service.
• Chief Executive Joosub said in February Vodacom expected to offer 5G mobile services in South Africa this year by using a network being built by another African operator, Liquid Telecom.

• The deployment of 5G will help Vodacom manage the 40% increase in mobile network traffic and the 250% increase in fixed traffic experienced during the five-week long coronavirus lockdown, it said.
• The three cities are Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town, Vodacom said, adding the 5G network would support both mobile and fixed wireless services.
• Fifth Generation (5G) spectrum is largely unassigned in South Africa. The regulator, ICASA, has said it will auction additional spectrum, including the highly sought after 5G spectrum, by the end of the year.

Charles Rapulu Udoh

Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer who has advised startups across Africa on issues such as startup funding (Venture Capital, Debt financing, private equity, angel investing etc), taxation, strategies, etc. He also has special focus on the protection of business or brands’ intellectual property rights ( such as trademark, patent or design) across Africa and other foreign jurisdictions.
He is well versed on issues of ESG (sustainability), media and entertainment law, corporate finance and governance.
He is also an award-winning writer