(Ecofin Agency) - A year after launching 4.5G in Côte d'Ivoire, MTN is already preparing for a step higher. The company announced the soon launch of 5G. During the investment forum, which was held in Abidjan last December 1-3, MTN tested the technology before the participants.

Ebenezer Asante - MTN Group's Vice President for West and Central Africa- explained that with "this secure cruising speed, the group wants to help propel Africa […] by 2025, MTN wants to be the leading operator on the continent."

MTN Côte d'Ivoire's preparations for 5G come one year after its December 2020 launch of 4.5G. With the accelerated digital transformation brought about by the global pandemic, the need for greater internet connectivity - appropriate to support the adoption of new habits like cloud, artificial intelligence - has continued to grow.

With 5G in Côte d'Ivoire, people will have a better experience for streaming, gaming, and online video... 5G also offers more opportunities for businesses operating in all areas of activity. 5G can connect 1,000 times more objects per square kilometer than 4G, and offers speeds at least 10 times faster than 4G.

Discussions between MTN Côte d'Ivoire, the Ministry of Digital Economy, and the Côte d'Ivoire ICT/Telecom Regulatory Authority (ARTCI) are ongoing to define the spectrum to be allocated to this new technology. The migration from 4G to 5G will be done gradually.

Muriel Edjo