Which provider will be crowned the 5G king in SA?

The world we live in today is more connected than ever before. With more people working from home, the need for superfast internet for business purposes is greater than ever. As a result, there’s a big race to be the first company to offer 5G services reliably to SA. This will solidify their position as an industry leader for years to come.

So, what’s this new technology, and how will it affect us?

What is 5G?

5G is the next generation of mobile networks that will set the foundation for developing various new technologies. These technologies will soon have a huge influence on how we interact. The leap between 4G and 5G will improve the speed that information is sent and the reliability of the network as a whole, with virtually no latency.

Back in the 1980s we were first introduced to the 1G network, which gave us an analogue voice, allowing us to make telephonic calls over long distances. Ten years later, the 2G network greatly improved the quality of the sound. In the 2000s, the 3G network introduced mobile data, which enabled us to communicate with each other like never before.

The 4G network introduced mobile broadband, which allowed for superfast wireless internet. 5G is the next step in the evolution of communication networks. Its design will facilitate the development of new user experiences for years to come.

How 5G will affect businesses in SA

5G will have a huge impact on global economics. The new technology will facilitate innovations in multiple industries, from transport to health care to entertainment. This means big business for tech companies wanting to assert themselves in the 5G race. In SA, particularly, 5G will be felt more in larger cities initially, given that the rollout is likely to start there.

In a recent interview, Mobiz CEO Greg Chen said: “5G’s core benefit over 4G is the increase in concurrent users from 4,000 to a million per square kilometre. Thus, it would benefit concentrated populations where high-quality data access is limited.”

This means that businesses in largely populated cities such as Cape Town and Joburg will benefit from the new technology, boosting business productivity and the quality of their services.

The race to introduce 5G in SA

Global data consumption has grown tremendously in recent years. Where people would use their phones only for sending SMSes, they’re now using them for every aspect of their lives. And the price of mobile phones has decreased significantly, making them more accessible to developing countries, and thus increasing data consumption.

In SA, there is a need to provide mobile networks throughout the country and improve the quality of the service. The demand for 5G is therefore high, and there is huge competition to be the first company to roll out the service.

SA is the telecommunications leader in Africa, and has by far the biggest operators, including Liquid Telecom, Telkom, MTN and Vodacom. While MTN is the largest mobile operator on the continent, Vodacom is the largest in SA. These two companies have been at the forefront of the race to introduce 5G in the country and both are hailed as premium mobile service brands. For instance, as part of its MTN specials, 5G-enabled iPhones have been listed for R649 a month, making them accessible to more South Africans.

As phone companies start releasing 5G-enabled phones, MTN and Vodacom have revved up their efforts to deploy 5G networks. Both providers released statements claiming to be the first to offer exclusive 5G coverage along with the new iPhone 12. This has led to some confusion about which company is leading the innovation.

This uncertainty has grown amid the destruction of 5G towers belonging to both MTN and Vodacom. Critics believe there’s a link between Covid-19 and 5G, saying the technology emits harmful radio waves that could harm people’s health. Despite this, the two industry leaders are committed to accelerating the technology rollout by the end of March 2021.

We are sitting on the edge of a new generation of technology that will change every aspect of our lives. Tech and smartphone companies will be able to develop products that can operate in ways only seen in science fiction. The huge impact 5G technology will have on every area of our lives is the reason that companies such as Vodacom and MTN are fighting so hard to be the first to release it. As this race plays out, we can only sit back and watch who will be crowned the 5G king in SA.

This article was paid for by Latest Specials.