Mobile data-only network operator, Rain has announced the launch of the first 5G commercial network in South Africa, in partnership with Huawei.
With Huawei’s end-to-end 5G solutions, Rain has been able to build the 5G network using its 3.6GHz spectrum, it said.
In the first phase of roll out, Rain has deployed 20 new base stations in Johannesburg and Cape Town, covering the main districts of the two cities.
Rain Group CEO Willem Roos said that the network will provide fibre-like speeds without the installation complexities, time delays and cost of laying fibre in under-serviced areas.
Apart from deploying new base stations, Huawei will enable Rain to fully leverage its existing LTE network and allocated spectrum for 5G deployment.
“This approach of sharing facilities and leveraging existing infrastructure will enable Rain to roll out the 5G network in a quick and cost-effective manner,” the group said.
According to the plan, Rain will continue to cover major cities in South Africa with 5G networks, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban, to provide ultra-broadband services to homes
and enterprises.
In September 2019, Rain will release 5G mobile phone products and plans to further promote 5G-enabled applications in terms of industry video, remote driving and smart manufacturing.
“Rain is very optimistic about the business prospects of South Africa’s 5G network, and will continue to invest more in 5G networks and better serve users,” Roos said.
Source: businesstech
