MTN, the second-largest mobile network operator in South Africa, has announced that it will construct private 5G networks for major companies in the mining and port industries.
As the network ramps its superfast 5G network rollout, it will provide dedicated capacity and guaranteed coverage.
MTN South Africa Chief Executive Officer Charles Molapisi stated that the company has already signed contracts with 14 firms to provide their customers with the ability to control their communication network.MTN also asserts that the service will improve internet speeds and security, giving client companies uninterrupted connectivity.MTN also asserts that the service will improve internet speeds and security, providing client companies with uninterrupted connectivity.
MTN’s enterprise 5G network will also provide cloud computing, unified communication via integrated communication services, cybersecurity, and machine-to-machine communications to clients.
This is a fascinating field for us. Regarding creating private networks for 5G, we are light years ahead of the competition. We anticipate significant development in this area,” Molapisi said.
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In the market for enterprise 5G networks, MTN will have to contend with competition from Liquid Telecoms. The company’s CEO, Deon Geyser, said that it would use the spectrum it bought at the ICASA spectrum auction in March to build a 5G network that will help industries like manufacturing and mining become more automated.
MTN was the second largest spender at the auction, behind only Vodacom. Still, Molapisi stated that the spectrum they purchased will not be sufficient beyond the year 2025 and that they intend to participate in the ICASA’s second auction, the date of which has not been determined as of yet, in order to acquire more spectrum.
Molapisi stated that the company must acquire more spectrum to accommodate the anticipated data expansion.
MTN strives to become an MVNO service provider
Molapisi says that MTN is also letting other companies that don’t own infrastructure but want to offer data and voice services use its network systems. In South Africa, FNB Connect and Mr Price Mobile are two good examples.
These companies are called mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), and ICASA requires that network operators have at least three MVNOs on their network to get a spectrum license.
That segment of the company is experiencing significant expansion at the moment. We are developing a platform that will be offered as a service to MVNOs. [We have a long line of MVNOs waiting to join us. When it comes to MVNO, we are ready to do business. We’ll be adding a lot more than three,’ Molapisi stated.
The growth of MTN’s 5G network
Since it was first made available to the public in June 2020, MTN’s 5G network in South Africa has also experienced remarkable expansion.
According to the company’s most recent interim financial reports, by the end of June 2022, the operator will have added 443 5G sites across South Africa, bringing the total number of sites it operates to 1,391.
As a result of this rollout, 20% of the country’s population was covered, which is an important milestone because MTN’s goal is to cover 25% of the population with its 5G network by the end of 2022.
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In addition to providing mobile access over 5G networks, it also offers a variety of unlimited and high-capacity fixed-5G options for a price that is less than R1,000 per month.
The majority of the company’s success may be credited to the additional capacity that it purchased in the 3,500MHz band during the high-demand frequency spectrum auction that Icasa held in March 2022.
It intends to buy additional spectrum during the second phase of the auction that will be held by Icasa, which is anticipated to take place once the transition to digital TV has been finished.
MTN’s 5G service is available in at least 38 cities and towns across the country.