‘4G Evolution, Vital Future for Mobile Networks in Africa’

‘4G Evolution, Vital Future for Mobile Networks in Africa’

By Emma Okonji

The Chief Technology Officer at Ericsson West Africa and Morocco, Talla Guisse, has said technology evolution, especially 4G technology has contributed to revolutionising Africa.

He however said the technology remained a vital future for mobile Networks in Africa, considering its adoption rate in most African countries like Nigeria, Kenya, Morocco and South Africa.

Guisse, in a statement, said Africa has come a long way in its digitisation journey from mobile telephony to broadband, connecting and digitizing entire sectors economies, jobs, education, healthcare, government and societies.
He however said in light of the revolutionary technological advances that are changing the African continent, a comprehensive technology framework needed to be in place to put Africa at the forefront of digital transformation.

“There is overwhelming evidence linking Information and Communications Technology (ICT) investment in infrastructure, economic growth and job creation. The ICT sector in Africa continues to demonstrate dynamic growth, particularly driven by the mobile sector. The view is that the majority of infrastructure investment will be done by the mobile industry.

“Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), infrastructure manufacturers and ICT service providers, have played a crucial part in enhancing 4G networks in Africa and paving the way for next generation of mobile connectivity. The latest mobility data shows a gradual transition to the latest technology and today 55 per cent of mobile subscriptions globally are running on 4G/LTE. In sub-Saharan Africa, Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology accounted for around 11 per cent of subscriptions in 2019.

“At this turning point, Ericsson is proud to contribute to this journey and use advanced technology to enable rapid improvements in industrial production, societal services and people’s way of living and interacting with their environment.”

Guisse who stressed the need in modernising Africa’s networks, said as quarantine restrictions continue to shutter workplaces around the globe, fixed and mobile networks have become a critical source of support for enterprises. The ability of mobile networks to meet this unprecedented demand proves the reliability and robustness of today’s mobile technologies.

He explained that the 4G network provided Africa’s mobile users with faster data speeds, high-quality video conferencing and faster response times when using mobile applications or accessing the internet. It also helped service providers meet demand for mobile data, which is rising every year as customers move to adopt data-hungry smartphones, mobile modems and tablets.

Related Articles