Telecoms regulators and network operators in Africa should see the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic as a catalyst to speed up the rollout of 5G networks and services to, in turn, support the continent’s transition towards a digital economy. This will help to unlock significant growth opportunities across the continent.
That’s according to Rami Osman, director for corporate sales and marketing at MediaTek Middle East and Africa, who says 5G network services are key not only in providing faster and lower latency connectivity to smartphone and PC users, but also in enabling the next generation of digital platforms and services, including Internet of Things, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), and advanced robotics.
Osman believes the 5G network technology standard has the potential to create new revenue streams for network operators, drive digital inclusion and improve the end-user experience across video streaming, large file downloads, online gaming and Fourth Industrial Revolution applications.
Sub-Saharan Africa – a region with a population of 1,1-billion – is expected to achieve 30-million mobile 5G connections by 2025, according to the GSMA.
5G technology will account for around half of mobile connections in regions such as China and North America in the same timeframe.
However, the pandemic creates impetus to accelerate 5G rollouts and adoption worldwide. For instance, Kenya recently became the second African country after South Africa to introduce 5G networks.
“5G has a valuable role to play in providing high-speed broadband connectivity to households and businesses that are poorly served by fixed-line infrastructure,” says Osman. “Dramatically speeding up fast and reliable Internet service deployments is essential in the pandemic and post-pandemic landscape, with the global digital economy booming and more economic, educational and public service activities moving online.”
Osman notes that the 5G boom has already started in many parts of the world, with IDC predicting that 5G shipments will account for more than 40% of global smartphone shipments this year, growing to 69% in 2025. 5G growth is a factor in pushing worldwide smartphone shipments to a forecasted 5,5% growth rate this year, says IDC.