By Chinenye Anuforo [email protected]
Six months after Airtel Nigeria won the Fifth Generation (5G) network bid, the company has launched its commercial 5G network in Nigeria.
During the media launch in Lagos, Airtel disclosed that the network was now available in Lagos, Ogun, Rivers and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Speaking during the launch, Airtel Nigeria’s CEO, Mr. Carl Cruz, said 5G will revolutionize the way things are done because life is about to get simpler, easier, and more interesting for a lot of people in Nigeria.
“While we may think that the fourth generation network, 4G, is a remarkable platform or improvement on our internet experience, 5G is completely a new experience where everything and anything is indeed possible.
“For instance, with 5G end-to-end video playback with the support of artificial intelligence, AI is now possible even if you are using your own browser.
“So 5G is definitely a completely new experience with anything you want to do, whether it is self-driving cars or virtual reality, and indeed so much more.
“So right now, with 5G, we can only be limited by the limits of our imagination. No doubt, life is about to get simpler, easier, and more interesting for a lot of people in Nigeria.
“With 5G today, it is more achievable to empower creatives and entrepreneurs in such areas as medicine, fashion, retail communications, and media to bring more to stakeholders inventions and ideas.
“It offers a new era of collaboration and presents a new way of generating economic benefits for this generation. We are going to see young people all over the country witness growth, establish revolutions, and unleash revolutions in creativity and productivity.
“With 5G-enabled devices such as Samsung, iPhone, or any of the brands, you can experience the speed and robustness of the 5G-enabled Airtel network.”
Cruz noted: “The dream that we actualize today has been made possible with the incredible support of our partners. We have enjoyed the privilege of working with partners like Samsung and others. And because of the insistence of the leadership of the ministry of communications and digital economy and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), it is time for this wonderful country of ours to be the vanguard of digital communication, so I must say a special thank you to them,” he said.
With the introduction of 5G, Airtel Nigeria aims to revolutionize the digital landscape, offering speeds up to 10 times faster than 4G. The improved performance and reliability of 5G will meet the growing needs of an increasingly connected society by enabling seamless transitions between networks when moving in and out of 5G coverage areas.
According to Airtel, to access the 5G network and seamlessly enjoy its benefits, customers would need compatible devices, such as routers and mobile phones, which can be pre-ordered from designated Airtel walk-in stores and online via the Airtel Nigeria website and e-marketplace. The end users were expected to be at the site where there is 5G coverage, and because of the speed, the data burn rate was expected to be higher. However, there won’t be a SIM upgrade to 5G this time around; the 4G SIM works seamlessly with a 5G-compatible device.
It is also stated that existing data plans can be used for 5G connectivity, and there are no specific bundles dedicated solely to 5G usage at the moment.
The implementation of 5G was expected to accelerate the actualisation of the national targets in the Nigerian National Broadband Plan, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, as well as other sectoral policies designed to enhance Nigeria’s digital transformation.
According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), as of April 2023, Airtel Nigeria held a market share of 27.01 percent, serving over 60.03 million customers. This represents a slight increase from its market share of 26.58 percent in February 2023, reflecting Airtel’s continuous efforts to expand its customer base.