Creamer Media Login

Many parts of the world not ready for super fast 5G network – MTN's CEO

12th September 2018

Font size: - +

Many parts of the world are not ready for next-generation 5G network but would likely be ready to embrace the super-fast technology in the next few years from now, MTN's chief executive said on Tuesday.

5G networks, now in the final testing stage, will rely on denser arrays of small antennas and the cloud to offer data speeds up to 50 or 100 times faster than current 4G networks and serve as critical infrastructure for a range of industries.

"This is the technology that would be used for very specific cases. It would not be a technology for everybody because most people don't need it, your phone works fine on just 3G," Rob Shuter told Reuters at a telecoms conference in Durban.

"You also need the equipment itself. So right now there's no 5G handsets and even the routers that can receive 5G network are very few and very expensive."

Many of MTN's users in emerging markets across Africa and the Middle East are still awaiting 4G and are likely to have to get by with 3G connections for years more.

"What we are doing now is to learn from the technology and get our network ready for it but I think 3G is much more relevant in most of our markets," he said.

Shuter declined to comment on his company's multibillion-dollar dispute with Nigeria -- which accounts for a third of its annual core profit -- because the matter is before a court in the West African country.

MTN operates in more than 20 frontier markets including war-ravaged Syria and Afghanistan.

Edited by Reuters

Comments

The content you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

Click Here

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

➕

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

➕

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION

➕