Kenya will now have a second operator bringing 5G to the country. Airtel has officially launched its 5G network. The operator joins Safaricom, who launched their 5G network last year.
Airtel acquired the 5G spectrum(2600MHz) in February this year with a plan to target specific towns in the country in their public rollout.
BMA understands that Airtel’s current infrastructure covers 89% of the country, spanning 3200 sites in 47 counties.
Their 5G network will be available in 16 counties with 370 5G sites. The company also offers unlimited data plans on 5G plus a 5G WiFi Routers.
The Communication Authority of Kenya reports close to 400,000 subscribers on 5G in the country, available in 21 counties. 4G is still king with 21,228,953 subscribers while 3G and 2G have 10,590,246 and 15,768,091 subscribers respectively. Airtel has 17.5 million prepaid subscribers and 95,434 postpaid subscribers.
The benefits of 5G include high speed and boundless connectivity, reliable and secure internet for enterprises and homes, and enabling digital transformation in support of industry 4.0 goals. During the launch, Mr Eliud Owalo, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy in Kenya, emphasized the importance of high-speed internet, especially for digital content creators.
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