New Telegraph

5G roll-out suffers hitches as August 24 date not feasible

The August 24, 2022 earlier scheduled for the rollout of the Fifth Generation (5G) network is no more attainable, New Telegraph has confirmed. This is due to the inability of Mafab Communications, one of the two companies that won the 5G spectrum licences in December 2021 for the rollout the network to receive unified operational licence (USAL).

 

The company has been issued a five-month extension for its roll-out by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). This was confirmed to New Telegraph by the NCC Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka. Muoka said Mafab was issued a five-month extension following the delays in receiving its unified operational licence (USAL) and Numbering Plan, which did not happen until the end of July.

 

Earlier, the two licensees had been charged to commence the rollout of the new technology on August 24, 2022. The expectation of many Nigerian subscribers have been raised, waiting to key into the new network. As earlier reported by New Telegraph, the number of mobile users, who have purchased 5G enabled phones, has  kept increasing as gathered from the retail shops at Computer Village and other shops visited by our correspondent.

 

They have been expecting the 5G licencees to commence rollout of 5G services effective from August 24, 2022. He said: “We are fully committed to bringing the benefits of 5G services to Nigerians and deploying a network that will drive economic development with increased broadband capabilities nationwide. “I have no doubt that the service will help deliver improvements in the fields of education, business, smart cities and entertainment.

 

“The goal remains to launch before the fivemonth extension period  and we will be sharing more information in the near future,” Chairman Mafab Communications Limited, Dr. Mushabu Bashir, said in a press statement issued by the 5G licencee.” The 5G will offer Nigerians higher data speed, improved reliability and availability.

 

The benefits are far reaching as the service will enable Nigerians to achieve more with broadband and increase the nation’s broadband penetration, quality of service and capabilities. Mafab Communications Limited is a telecommunication company incorporated on July 8, 2020, and licensed by the NCC to provide and operate Local Interconnect and International carrier services.

 

Muoka said though the MTN had already got its unified operational licence (USAL) upgraded, it is not sure whether the company will commence the rollout of the 5G network on August 24 as earlier scheduled and announced by the NCC. Up till the time of writing this story,

 

MTN has not issued any official statement on its stand on the rollout of the network. Meanwhile, it is expected that the company may commence the roll out in September as it had earlier stated that it would rollout the network in the last quarter of 2022 which starts from September, this year.

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