Safaricom 5G is officially launched. Kenya’s leading telco has announced trials for the trail-blazing 5G technology for Kenyans in Nairobi, Kisumu, Kisii and Kakamega.

The giant telco plans to expand the number of such 5G sites to more than 150 across nine towns over the next year.

Safaricom 5G Speeds

Right now, Safaricom says the primary objective is to establish if customers can enjoy speeds of up to 700 Megabits per second(MBps).

The company has said it will increase 5G internet speeds to above 1,000 Mbps in the later stages of the trial.

“Today marks a major milestone for the country. With 5G, we aim to empower our customers with super-fast internet at work, at home and when on the move, supplementing our growing fibre network. At Safaricom, we are proud to be the first in the country and the region to bring this latest innovation to both our retail and enterprise customers empowering them to start exploring new opportunities that 5G provides,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom.

Safaricom’s 5G technology will act as an alternative to Home Fibre and Fibre for Business services, targeting customers in places where Safaricom is yet to roll out its fibre network.

Enterprise and Home Internet customers on the service can get a 5G router from Safaricom to enjoy the new band.

“I congratulate Safaricom on this milestone, reinforcing the country’s position at being at the forefront of innovation in the region and the world. 5G technology will usher increased internet speeds and capabilities for millions across the country, laying a strong foundation for a new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs,” Joe Mucheru, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information and Technology said.

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5G bands can support up to 1 million connected devices per square kilometre compared to 4G which could only support up to 100,000 connected devices in a similar area making 5G a well-needed upgrade for providing super-fast internet speeds in high-density areas.

Safaricom is working with Nokia and Huawei to implement the rollout of the 5G network.

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Nigel Jr.
As a tech enthusiast and expert, Nigel Jr. is dedicated to providing in-depth and insightful content on all things technology. With a background in online journalism, product reviewing, and tech creation, Nigel has become a trusted source for all things tech.

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