Ericsson and MTN have announced in November that they will begin to test the first 5G network in South Africa in the first quarter of 2018. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at AfricaCom 2017 to partner on the rollout of 5G technologies in South Africa, one of the first in Africa.
In the collaboration, Ericsson provides end-to-end 5G capabilities in support of MTN South Africa’s growth, 5G and enterprise monetization ambitions. MTN will run a trial on a range of 5G using cases and applications in its Test Bed (laboratory) proof of concept in South Africa, leading to commercial deployment in the future.
In a publication on Ericsson’s blog, MTN and Ericsson will collaborate to demonstrate the true potential of 5G in South Africa. They will work together to identify 5G uses, run cases studies and how it can be applied to the digital transformation of other industries such as mining, transportation, agriculture, manufacturing, and utilities.
The CTIO of MTN South Africa, Giovanni Chiarelli revealed that 5G network will gives us the opportunity to rethink our business and address previously untapped value chains. and will also open up new opportunities in the economy.
He further stated thus, “In collaboration with Ericsson, we are continuously testing, learning and pushing the boundaries of how 5G can meet the diverse needs of our customers in the future. We’re developing 5G technology based on real business needs,” he says.