By Adedapo Adesanya
Following a successful rollout of its 5G network in Lagos and Abuja on Wednesday, MTN is set to extend the service to more cities including Port Harcourt, Enugu and Kano.
Having won the 3.5GHz spectrum licence for 5G network rollout in December last year, coupled with the issuance of the 5G spectrum licence in May this year, MTN Nigeria Communications Limited was able to successfully kick start the rollout.
The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Mr Karl Toriola, had said MTN was ready for rollout, having the required 5G equipment on the ground.
MTN kept to its promise by commencing the rollout of its 5G network on Wednesday from Lagos and Abuja, with plans to cover the three other cities within one month of the rollout.
Owing to the development, MTN has called on telecom subscribers to begin pre-order their 5G devices to enable them to enjoy the high-speed internet download with low latency that is associated with 5G, since not all devices can access the 5G network.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had given MTN Nigeria Communications Limited and Mafab Communications Limited up till today to begin the commercial rollout of their 5G networks across the country. However, Mafab Communications Limited appears missing from the rollout plan for technical reasons, thereby leaving only MTN to begin the race.
Mafab Communications in a statement this week had said the NCC issued it a 5-month extension period for its rollout.
MTN and Mafab had in December 2021, won the 3.5GHz Spectrum band for the 5G license and the NCC had given both operators up till August 24, to rollout 5G technology services across the country.
Mafab was however issued an extension following the delays in receiving its unified operational license (USAL) and Numbering plan, which did not happen until the end of July.
Criticism had followed the granting of Mafab, a 5G licence when it has no telecom operational licence, a development, which they said, would slow down 5G network rollout in the country.
Modupe Gbadeyanka