Giant telco Safaricom will on Friday unveil the first fifth-generation 5G in Kenya. The mobile internet services will first be implemented around major urban centers in the country. This will make Kenya among the first in the region to offer 5G.
The move comes after Safaricom completed testing and trials for the upgraded network last year. Now, the company seeks to capitalize on burgeoning mobile Internet use in the country.
Safaricom has revealed that the launch of the 5G technology will be supplied by Nokia Corporation and Huawei, this is despite Huawei’s national security concerns about the Chinese firm supplying equipment for network infrastructure.
The 5G service will be available in Nairobi and greater western Kenya including Kisumu, Kisii, and Bungoma.
“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 an invite to the press.
To enjoy 5G speeds, Safaricom subscribers will need to acquire new handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus or the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G that are compatible with 5G.
