The development of 5G wireless technology is what underpins mobile phone makers' hopes that they can boost sales which have recently flagged. AFP/Lionel BONAVENTURE
Mobile data-only network operator Rain has scooped its far bigger competition in MTN and Vodacom by announcing that it would be rolling out the country’s first 5G commercial network in partnership with Huawei.
The company announced that with Huawei’s end-to-end 5G solutions, it has developed a 5G network using its 3.6GHz spectrum and would be launching the first 5G mobile phone products and plans in September 2019.
Rain Group CEO Willem Roos said the network would provide fibre-like speeds without the installation complexities, time delays, and cost of laying fibre in under-serviced areas.
He added that the company was in a “unique” position because it would be able to leverage its current 4G network to roll out the 5G network in a rapid and cost-effective way.
In the first phase of the rollout, Rain has deployed 20 new base stations in Johannesburg and Cape Town, covering the main districts of the two cities.
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