Mobile operator Vodacom claims it has reached a significant milestone in its 5G service evolution, achieving 2.4Gbps, which it says is a first for South Africa.
In a statement, the company says the trial made use of a commercial smartphone and was conducted through the commercial base stations which serve Vodacom’s Midrand campus.
According to Vodacom, the record throughput speed is approximately 100 times faster than the average fibre-to-the-home connection.
Beverly Ngwenya, Vodacom South Africa technology director, says: “This achievement demonstrates Vodacom’s continued innovation as a 5G technology leader and a network of firsts, showcasing how fifth-generation mobile technology can unlock incredible fibre-like experiences for users on the go, or where fibre installations aren’t feasible.
“Most notably, this is a preview of how Vodacom’s recently acquired spectrum will enable true 5G capabilities and raise the bar on network performance.”
South African telcos recently got the much-needed spectrum after a long-delayed auction process. The operators are now using the high-demand spectrum to launch services such as 5G.
Vodacom acquired a total of 110MHz high-demand spectrum as part of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa’s auction and assignment process.
It paid R5.38 billion for a spectrum portfolio that includes 2 x 10MHz in the 700 band MHz, 1 x 80MHz in the 2 600MHz band and 1 x 10MHz in the 3 500MHz band.
The company notes that with the combination of 5G technology and the correct spectrum, Vodacom can significantly increase the performance and capacity of its network.
It adds that ultra-high-speed will enable a number of fourth industrial revolution use cases, while consumers will receive better-quality services.
Ngwenya says “Vodacom is a future-ready business that offers multiple fixed and mobile connectivity solutions to our customers to meet their specific needs. A 5G fibre-like service is a complementary addition to our existing portfolio of services, giving customers more choice in how they connect for a quality network experience.”
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