In a previous post, I highlighted the 5G network that’s set to take over the future. Well, there’s some interesting news coming out of Africa in regards to the network that I had to share.

The following information is from Africa News.

Converting to 5G promises more speed, less lag time, and a stronger internet connection between tech devices. But the coronavirus pandemic has slowed down the process, particularly on the continent. The Senior Lecturer Electrical Engineer at The University of Cape Town, Dr. Joyce Mwangama, advised the following:

“Sub Saharan Africa has always lagged in terms of mobile technology penetration.”

“So, when we’re talking about 5G, the penetration is going to be quite slow and it will only in the beginning stages be deployed in small islands and small pockets.”

Since China has made so many investments on the continent, Africa could potentially be brought into the rising tensions between the United States and China over 5G networks. The Director of Network Strategy at Liquid Telecom, Ben Roberts, stated the following:

“The Chinese telecoms vendors have certainly made more investment in Africa, in terms of the resources they have put here and the employment they have created.”

“And as a result, African operators have invested heavily in that Chinese equipment. Now, we are seeing pressure from the US not to use some of these equipments in 5G networks, they’ve been applying that pressure to other nations in Europe.”

To check out the full article, click here. If you have any additional information, feel free to comment below.

Until Next Time…