Global EditionASIA 中文雙語Fran?ais
    World
    Home / World / Africa

    Huawei likely to benefit from 5G rollout in Africa

    By Otiato Opali in Nairobi, Kenya | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2020-02-25 23:36
    Share
    Share - WeChat
    [Photo/Agencies]

    As a new decade begins, commercial fifth generation wireless technology, or 5G, services have already permeated major markets across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. With a growing global appetite for faster and dynamic connections, it is expected that the 2020s will see more widespread deployment and adoption of the 5G technology around the world, including Africa.

    According to a 2019 research report titled "5G in Sub-Saharan Africa: laying the foundations" prepared by GSMA Intelligence, a research firm that deals with mobile operator data analysis and forecasts, there has been growing shift from basic voice to data services in Africa over the past decade. This can be seen in smartphone adoption which has doubled over the last three years and now accounts for two in five mobile connections.

    Despite market demand, Africa still lags behind in rolling out the 5G network. So far, Lesotho and South Africa are the only countries where 5G is commercially available but services are limited.

    Last November, the telecommunications company MTN carried out the first testing of 5G superfast mobile internet in Nigeria. In East Africa, Kenya's biggest telecom operator Safaricom announced last week that it will consider awarding a contract to China's Huawei as it rolls out its 5G network this year.

    Michael Joseph, chief executive of Safaricom, on Feb 19 said that despite huge demand for increased bandwidth and more speed in East Africa, the 5G services network can only be offered to customers in major cities where demand is highest.

    Adam Lane, senior director of public affairs for Huawei Southern Africa, said cost and lack of needed regulations to support the new technology hamper 5G rollout in the region. He said available spectrum is also limited.

    "The communication industry in Africa needs to build business cases which will require industry-specific solutions, consumer education and innovative partnerships," Lane said. "Currently, the 5G technology in Africa should not just target consumer devices directly, since most Africans keep devices for around 4 or more years. In the African market, there should be some clear business models in using 5G for fixed wireless access or using a Customer Premises Equipment and certain specific industry use cases such as in tourism, hospitality, mining and media broadcasting."

    According to Lane, a key solution to the business model challenge in Africa is to reduce the costs of the network, from the spectrum to the backhaul and to the taxes imposed on operators, data, mobile money and devices.

    He said that governments can play a key role in helping solve these barriers by taking a leadership position and commitment to provide such support.

    Despite the challenges, Africa has the advantage of not being slowed down by the restrictions placed on the globally leading 5G developer Huawei by the US.

    "We will use Huawei in our 5G rollout," said Safaricom's Joseph. "What will we do in terms of the American statements about not using Huawei? We don't have that situation in Africa."

    Most Viewed in 24 Hours
    Top
    BACK TO THE TOP
    English
    Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
    License for publishing multimedia online 0108263

    Registration Number: 130349
    FOLLOW US
    91精品无码久久久久久五月天| 婷婷综合久久中文字幕| 一本大道香蕉中文日本不卡高清二区| 久久亚洲精品无码AV红樱桃| 狠狠精品久久久无码中文字幕| 亚洲AV无码成人精品区狼人影院| 亚洲AV无码一区东京热久久 | 少妇伦子伦精品无码STYLES| 最近免费中文字幕高清大全 | 人妻无码人妻有码中文字幕| 人妻精品久久无码区| 高清无码v视频日本www| 亚洲韩国—中文字幕| 亚洲高清有码中文字| 少妇无码太爽了不卡视频在线看| 免费人妻无码不卡中文字幕系| 中国无码人妻丰满熟妇啪啪软件 | 精品无码免费专区毛片| 亚洲av中文无码| 精品久久久久久久久久中文字幕| 免费A级毛片无码A∨中文字幕下载| 亚洲国产av无码精品| 久久久久亚洲AV无码去区首| AV无码精品一区二区三区| 久久久无码一区二区三区| 无码人妻熟妇AV又粗又大| 亚洲AV无码久久精品蜜桃| 亚洲人成无码网站在线观看| 中文字幕一区二区三区日韩精品| 7国产欧美日韩综合天堂中文久久久久 | 亚洲欧美中文日韩V在线观看| 亚洲欧美日韩一区高清中文字幕 | 乱人伦中文无码视频在线观看| 久久五月精品中文字幕| 中文字幕乱码人妻综合二区三区 | 久久亚洲精品无码aⅴ大香| 中文字幕无码乱人伦| 无套内射在线无码播放| 国产成人无码综合亚洲日韩| av大片在线无码免费| 亚洲精品欧美精品中文字幕|