Connectivity is about to change, so are our usage and habits. The 5G technology promises Higher Data Rate, Lower Latency and Larger Capacity. After months of consultations, since February last, the ICT Authority has granted 5G licences to Cellplus Ltd, Emtel Ltd and Mahanagar Telecom as Mauritius becomes the fourth African country to get such services, Mauritius Limited (MTML) said on Thursday. We are set for a hop in a new technological world and it is promised towards the end of 2021 to beneficiate this fifth generation wireless network.
We are among the first 80 countries worldwide to be rolling out 5G commercially. This step is the conclusion of the ICTA’s invitations in April 2021 to the three mobile operators to apply for radio spectrum to deploy 5G networks in Mauritius. Decision was that frequencies of 300 Mega Hertz will be allocated on the 2.6 Gigahertz (Ghz) bands and 3.5 Ghz have been released for this purpose for three operators. Emtel, MyT Mobile and MTML / Chilli have until now operated the 3G, 3.5G, 4G and LTE network. The licences have been granted respectively, Emtel ltd is granted the 2.5 Gigahertz band, MTML the second block located in the lower portion of the 3.5 Gigahertz band and Cellplus Ltd the above 3.5 Gigahertz band.
Innovation at all levels
This advance is going to reshape Mauritians ways of doing things and at all levels. “This new technology is not just about higher speeds, as it will also make possible new applications in the areas of Smart home, Internet of Things, wireless health care, smart cities and autonomous vehicles amongst others,” pointed out Dick Ng Sui Wa, Chairman of the ICT Board. He added, “Around the world, 5G is looked upon as a foundation for huge benefits to both governments and businesses willing to optimize on the digital ecosystems which such a technology makes possible.”
With 5G we can say good bye to all our complaints in network matters. It promises higher internet download speeds starting with several hundreds of megabits per second and reaching around 10 gigabits per second, so Higher Data Rate, Lower Latency and Larger Capacity.
“5G being a general-purpose technology enabler unlocks the potential of cloud, artificial intelligence, AI, and edge computing. 5G can serve to democratize ICTs and to help narrow the digital divide bringing access to essential technologies and services,” concluded ICT Board Chairman.
The deployment of the 5G Services by our three operators are planned to be in our new habits before end of December 2021. Let’s get ready for an upgrade of our ways!
