Safaricom is set to launch Kenya’s first 5G network on Friday. The network will target major urban centres in the country, with launch set for Nairobi and Western Kenya. The move to install the 5G network will see Safaricom become the first telecommunications firm in the region to operate the high end, fast mobile network service.
The launch follows the successful testing and trials of the network that the company carried out last year.
The 5G technology will be supplied by Nokia Corporation and Huawei. “Safaricom will be the first operator in East Africa to launch 5G services and will be showcasing the capabilities of the network with the aid of Huawei and Nokia’s technologies,” Safaricom said in a statement. The service will be available in Nairobi and the greater western Kenya including Kisumu, Kisii and Bungoma. This implies that Safaricom will be targeting areas which routinely witness increased data traffic.
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Subscribers who want to use the service will need to acquire new handsets that are compatible with 5G before they can enjoy the superfast internet.
Chipmaker Qualcomm has indicated that 5G could achieve browsing and download speeds about 10 to 20 times faster than those offered by 4G. That would allow a consumer to download a high-definition film in a minute or so. Mobile gamers will also notice less delay – or latency – when pressing a button on a controller and seeing the effect on screen. Similarly, mobile videos should be near instantaneous and glitch-free while video calls would become clearer and less jerky under the 5G network.