Yesterday, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc kicked off an open Fifth-Generation (5G) pilot in the lead-up to its highly anticipated commercial launch. The company is testing the infrastructure for the next network and plans to roll out 5G services in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, Owerri, and Maiduguri. Where coverage is available, customers with specific enabled devices will be able to connect with and try out the new service. Customers will need suitable devices, including routers and mobile phones, which can be pre-ordered from designated MTN walk-in stores and online via the MTN Nigeria website and e-marketplace, in order to access the 5G network and benefit from its features. After the launch ceremony, which is expected to happen in the next few weeks, buyers can pick up their pre-ordered gadgets or have them shipped to them.
The telecommunications company said in a statement yesterday that the cutting-edge technology has the potential to increase the reach and capacity of MTN Nigeria’s data network in Nigeria and enable much faster speeds and lower latency, giving customers almost immediate access to the things they care about and downloads that take seconds, rather than minutes.
Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria, Adia Sowho, said: “Every major technological evolution redefines what is possible – changing the way we live and the way we connect. MTN Nigeria has been at the forefront of every leap in telecommunications – from GSM to 2G, 3G, and 4G; 5G has the potential to change everything. It will allow us to connect, create, collaborate, and compete in ways we’ve not even begun to imagine.
“We appreciate the unwavering support and leadership of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in implementing the National Policy on 5G Networks for Nigeria’s Digital Economy, which has driven the implementation of 5G in the country. We’re honoured to be a part of this revolution and being the first to bring 5G to Nigeria, we are truly excited about all the possibilities for the nation.
”The spectrum issued to MTN Nigeria as one of the two successful winners of the 5G licence bid, holds a promising future for technology in Nigeria and is projected to contribute $2.2 trillion to the global economy by 2034, according to a 2020 GSMA Intelligence report -” The Mobile Economy”.
The national objectives under the Nigerian National Broadband Plan, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, as well as other sectoral policies aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s digital transformation, will be actualized more quickly thanks to the introduction of 5G.Nigeria will join a small group of African nations that have implemented the 5G network with this launch, utilizing the greatest spectrum in Africa devoted to 5G.Customers can order 5G-capable devices for home delivery by going to their local MTN service center or the MTN Nigeria website.
