August 24, (THEWILL) – MTN Communication Nigeria Plc has kicked off an open 5G pilot in the lead-up to its highly anticipated commercial launch.
This is coming less than a year after it won the 3.5 Gigahertz (GHz) spectrum auctioned in December 2021.
MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications Limited paid $563.1 million for the 3.5 Gigahertz (GHz) spectrum licences.
Both companies paid $273.6 million each for the 5G Spectrum licence to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
In May this year, the company announced that the 5th Generation network will be rolled out in Nigeria by August after the issuance of the final letters of award to the successful bidders. But Mafab in August announced the postponement of its 5G launch.
“The company, which intends to launch 5G services in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, Owerri and Maiduguri, is testing the next-generation network infrastructure”, MTN said in a statement on Wednesday.
The telecom firm said customers with 5G enabled devices can be connected to the network where available.
MTN Chief Marketing Officer, Adia Sowho, said, “Every major technological evolution redefines what is possible – changing the way we live and the way we connect. MTN Nigeria has been at the forefront of every leap in telecommunications: from GSM to 2G, 3G, and 4G. SG has the potential to change everything.
“It will allow us to connect, create, collaborate, and compete in ways we’ve not even began to imagine.
“We appreciate the unwavering support and leadership of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy and the Nigerian Communications Commission in implementing the National Policy on SG Networks for Nigeria’s Digital Economy, which has driven the implementation of SG in the country.
“We are honoured to be a part of this revolution and being the first to bring 5G to Nigeria, we are truly excited about all the possibilities for the nation.”
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