MTN launches Africa’s first 5.5G network in South Africa

MTN South Africa, in partnership with Huawei, has completed Africa's first 5.5G network trial at MTN’s headquarters in Johannesburg, marking a milestone in the continent’s telecommunications landscape.

This advanced 5.5G network, introduced as part of MTN's efforts to drive a tech-centric future for Africa, is expected to significantly boost South Africa’s digital economy by expanding connectivity and enhancing lives.

The newly trialed 5.5G network delivers a 10-gigabit experience and comes equipped with groundbreaking capabilities, including enhanced Internet of Things (IoT) integration, autonomous driving network technology, and green ICT. The technology allows for network performance upgrades that promise ten times the speed and number of connections compared to existing 5G, while also reducing latency and power consumption by a factor of ten.

For the trial, MTN South Africa used Huawei’s advanced SingleRAN ultra-wideband active-antenna units along with hybrid beamforming and Inter-FR carrier aggregation technologies. With spectrum resources allocated for the test, the trial achieved impressive speeds of up to 8.6 Gbps per user. This high-speed connection unlocks a range of applications for both consumers and businesses, paving the way for next-generation services like 24K Extended Reality (XR), Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), and holographic conferencing.

Rami Farah, MTN South Africa's Chief Technology Officer, described the 5.5G validation as “not just a technical breakthrough but also a testament to MTN’s ongoing pursuit of excellence.” He added that the company looks forward to deploying innovative solutions that enhance connectivity for South Africans.

Li Chen, Huawei’s Vice President for the Sub-Saharan Region, said, “The joint release of 5.5G by MTN South Africa and Huawei deepens our strategic partnership and demonstrates Huawei’s commitment to bringing cutting-edge technology to Africa.” Jason Shao, Managing Director of Huawei MTN SA, noted that the success of the trial is a major step in advancing South Africa’s digital transformation.

With the 5.5G network, MTN aims to transform how South Africans interact with technology, promising improved business operations, consumer experiences, and a boost to the country’s digital landscape.