Airtel launches 5G in Kenya, following Safaricom’s lead. 5G Wi-Fi was additionally launched.
Airtel has grow to be the second telco to launch 5G in Kenya after Safaricom rolled out the service in October 2022, following months of testing. Airtel, additionally Kenya’s second-largest community operator, introduced the product at an occasion attended by a number of leaders within the ICT sector, together with Kenya’s cupboard secretary for ICT, Eliud Owalo, and the director-general of the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), Ezra Chiloba.
Airtel 5G will initially be accessible to a choose variety of prospects because the provider solely has 370 5G websites unfold throughout 16 counties. The operator didn’t specify which areas can be served. However, the service is anticipated to concentrate on prospects in main areas and cities reminiscent of Nairobi, Nakuru, Mombasa, and Kisumu.
Ashish Malhotra, the managing director of Airtel Kenya, stated, “Airtel 5G will revolutionise various sectors, such as smart cities, education, healthcare, Agri-tech, transport systems, entertainment, and more, shaping the future of Kenya.”
Airtel has additionally adopted Safaricom’s lead by asserting the provision of 5G Wi-Fi. Safaricom launched the same product final yr, enabling prospects to buy a 5G router and hook up with the community in areas with 5G indicators.
Airtel 5G Wi-Fi plans
Airtel will promote 5G-supported routers to prospects at KES 10,000 ($72) and for companies totally free, whereas Safaricom costs KES 25,000 ($180) for a similar gadget.
Airtel will provide 5G residence broadband connections to residential homes and companies. Plans begin at KES 3,500 ($25) at 10Mbps. Customers needing greater speeds pays extra, with 30Mbps costing KES 5,500 ($40) and 50Mbps at KES 7,500 ($54). Airtel can even promote volume-based residence knowledge plans ranging from KES 3000 ($22). These packages are additionally unlimited, making them interesting to prospects needing excessive web speeds.
Safaricom additionally affords the identical product at KES 3500 ($25), KES 6000 ($43), and KES 15000 ($108) for 10Mbps, 40 Mbps, and 100Mbps, respectively. Unlike Airtel 5G Wi-Fi plans which are unlimited, Safaricom’s 5G broadband is proscribed to a given quantity of information.
Airtel 5G bands and cell plans
Airtel Kenya instructed TechCabal that its 5G connection is predicated on a sub-6 GHz frequency band. This refers back to the frequency vary beneath 6 GHz. It consists of frequency bands reminiscent of 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 2.5 GHz, 3.5 GHz, and 4.9 GHz. Sub-6 GHz indicators have comparatively longer wavelengths, to allow them to journey longer distances and penetrate obstacles like buildings and partitions extra successfully. However, they typically provide barely decrease knowledge speeds in comparison with mmWave.
mmWave operates at a lot greater frequencies, usually between 24 and 100 GHz. These high-frequency indicators can present quick knowledge speeds, even reaching multi-gigabit-per-second charges. However, they’ve a restricted vary and are simply blocked by obstacles, together with buildings and timber. Thus, mmWave 5G is primarily utilized in dense city areas the place excessive capability and pace are wanted.
For now, Airtel prospects want 5G-capable gadgets to entry the community. However, the provider has not introduced particular 5G plans. Airtel argues that prospects shall be shifting out and in of 5G areas and shall be well-served by 4G bundles, which might entry 5G with out points. In distinction, Safaricom has launched 5G-specific bundles, cheaper than different plans however can be utilized on each 4G and 5G networks.
Regulatory help
More gamers might be a part of the 5G race in Kenya, with the subsequent candidate being Telkom Kenya. However, the state-run entity has been dealing with monetary difficulties, resulting in the telco’s failure to pay the American Tower Corporation (ATC) KES 200 million for tower leasing. As a end result, ATC switched off half of the towers, impacting tens of millions of Telkom prospects.
The presence of the Communications Authority of Kenya’s director-general, Ezra Chiloba, additionally signifies the regulator’s help for telcos as they transition to providing 5G companies. The CA has not introduced particular 5G spectrum charges however has chosen to invoice telcos based mostly on deployment and per-installed hyperlinks. For instance, if an operator installs 5G companies in a specific space, they’ll pay charges for that particular space. The regulator will ultimately set up a typical price within the coming days.
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