Mobile network operator Safaricom has launched a 5G network in Kenya, making it the second country in Africa to roll out the technology.
CEO of Safaricom, Peter Ndegwa described the launch as “a major milestone for the country.” The telco is implementing the project using technology from the Finnish company Nokia and the Chinese company Huawei. 5G is the fifth generation technology standard for broadband cellular networks.
It offers data speeds up to 100 times faster than 4G. It can also support up to one million connected devices per square kilometer, compared to up to 100,000 for 4G. MTN and Vodacom launched 5G in South Africa last year.
Five other countries—Gabon, Lesotho, Nigeria, Uganda, Egypt, and Morocco—are conducting “internal” trials for 5G which are not yet available for public use.
While the new development makes Kenyans early adopters of 5G in Africa, questions remain over investor and market readiness for mass use of the technology across the continent.
