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Econet Wireless Zimbabwe (ZSE:ECO.ZW), has partnered with Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) to launch 5G services in Harare, Zimbabwe, in a significant milestone for the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed mobile network operator and in light of Econet’s digital transformation journey with the aim of improving customer experience.
Ericsson will support Econet with its latest energy-efficient and high-performing Radio Access Network (RAN) and 5G Evolved Packet Core (EPC) solutions for 5G deployment in the capital Harare. The solutions will boost Econet’s capacity and user experience with significantly faster network speeds, which are up to 10 times the speed of 4G technology.
The new, superfast, fifth-generation broadband technology, 5G is set to present new opportunities for Econet’s consumer and business customers by offering services such as Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) for homes, small enterprise businesses, and schools, among other enterprise customers in Zimbabwe.
The technology will also broaden access to financial inclusion in Zimbabwe’s urban and rural areas.
In his remarks during the launch, Dr. Gift K. Machengete, the Director-General of the Postal and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe alluded to an article he read on Bulawayo 24, an online publication, a couple of days ago, where the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) purported that the Internet Slowdown experienced last Sunday was deliberate as it was meant to scuffle media coverage of an opposition political party event.
He said the article blamed Mobile Network Operators, the Regulator, and the Ministry of ICT for preventing people from exercising their right to communication.
“As the Regulatory Authority, I know these accusations are false. The Internet was not tempered with but this was a case of too much traffic at the same time which, overwhelmed the networks. Such is the characteristic of 4G. With 5G these glitches are going to be a thing of the past.
“While 4G ushered in the Smart Phone, which improved the overall user experience by facilitating multi-media messaging and revolutionizing social networking to be what it is now, among other developments, it has its limitations in terms of capacity and speed. Such limitations, henceforth, as I have said, shall be a thing of the past,” Dr. Machengete said.
He said 5G is the future of superfast Internet, a future where immeasurable traffic would be managed without any fears of an Internet slowdown. A future where everything and everyone can be connected. A future of amazing possibilities.
He welcomed 5G to Zimbabwe with the launch of 5G trials by Econet Wireless Zimbabwe. Being the first of such trials in Zimbabwe, Dr. Machengete said the launch was of epic proportions and heralded a ground-breaking phenomenon, which marks the historic leap into the 5G era – a leap into the future.
The POTRAZ Director-Geral described 5G as the nervous system of the digital economy, where everything whether biological, mechanical, or chemical will have to be connected somehow, anywhere, anytime, with zero delays and almost unlimited capacity.
5G is the new global wireless standard coming after 4G. 5G marks the advent of a new paradigm in network connectivity – a paradigm whose hallmarks include the triad of Enhanced mobile broadband; Massive machine type Communications and Ultra-reliable and low latency communications.
The Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) facilitated by 5G enables Improved consumer experience, More connected devices, Faster connection speeds as well as Virtual and Augmented Reality. Likewise, the Massive machine Type Communications (mMTC) enabled by 5G will facilitate E-Health, Smart Transport and Logistics, Smart energy networks, Smart agriculture, Smart retail.
In the same regard, Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications (uRLLC) which is a characteristic of 5G will enable Vehicle-to-everything communication, Drone delivery, Autonomous monitoring, Smart manufacturing, and Remote surgery among other advanced e-health applications.
“Such versatility as with 5G surely makes it a game-changer that will drive the next industrial revolution. Surely, the world will never be the same again. Humanity as we know it will surely change for the better. Life as we live it will surely improve.
“Therefore, as the regulator, we are taking this development very seriously as it means a lot to the nation at large. It means a lot in terms of fostering industrial and societal transformation. I am envisioning it as a technology that will take innovation to the next level as it comes with two key features, namely network softwarisation and network virtualisation, which I foresee will facilitate the opening up of markets for the development of more services and applications,” he added.
He urged the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to pay special attention to the communication sector and actively support the 5G rollout through the timeous allocation of foreign currency resources to the sector.
In addition to that, he encouraged local authorities to play a key role in the 5G rollout through timeous approvals of site acquisition applications and affordable rentals since the charges for site rentals can easily be the biggest determinant of 5G rollout viability.
On its part as the regulator, POTRAZ drafted the national 5G Roadmap THAT availed spectrum for 5G trials to eligible Operators and Econet was the first to respond and take up the resource.
Apart from availing spectrum for trials, POTRAZ is refarming the 3.4 – 3.6 GHz band in order to clear it of the legacy systems currently occupying some portions and making it available for 5G deployment. In the same vain, Lower spectrum bands such as 700MHz and 800MHz have been reaffirmed and are being considered for award.
He said in the case of the 800MHz band the Use it or Lose it rule shall apply. The refarmed bands should be available within the next twenty-four (24) months for award to network operators to roll out commercial 5G services. This will see the country being counted among countries such as Lesotho, South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda, Gabon, Madagascar amongst a few others, with 5G in Africa.
Ericsson’s common Network Functions Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) platform aims to help Econet achieve a smooth migration experience from 3 and 4G networks, as the company rolls out 5G in Zimbabwe.
Econet CEO Douglas Mboweni said: “Working with Ericsson to launch 5G in Zimbabwe is an important milestone in our digital transformation journey. As we deploy the network across the country, our goal remains that of meeting and address our customers’ needs using the latest technology available. We are certain that Ericsson’s industry-leading and energy-efficient 5G solutions will help us achieve that goal, and significantly improve our customer experience through reliable connectivity to our subscribers.”
Todd Ashton, Vice President and Head of Ericsson South and East Africa said: “We continue to strengthen our long-term partnership with Econet by providing Ericsson’s latest technology in Zimbabwe. 5G will play a critical role in accelerating the digitalization of the economy, increasing financial inclusion, and stimulating next-generation innovation for consumers and enterprises in the country. With our commitment to enhancing the digital infrastructure on the continent, we look forward to accelerating Zimbabwe’s digital future together with Econet and bringing the benefits to the entire continent of Africa and in line with our #AfricaInMotion campaign, which focuses on empowering a connected and sustainable Africa.”
With a partnership spanning over two decades, Ericsson remains committed to helping Econet build a robust digital infrastructure in Zimbabwe and driving digital transformation across the country.