- MTN Congo announced the deployment of its 5G network in Congo, claiming that the country is the first to launch 5G in Central Africa and a “digital revolution” that will transform Congolese lives.
- This comes two years after MTN Congo launched its pilot-phase 5G network in Congo in October 2022, reportedly becoming the first operator in the country to launch a 5G pilot scheme.
- At the time, the country’s telecoms minister, Leon Juste Ibombo, revealed that 5G tests had produced data speeds exceeding 10Gbps, enabling the operator to prepare to launch commercial 5G services in the Republic of the Congo.
Ibombo added that the government “will hasten to offer operators in the sector a technologically neutral licence to establish and operate a terrestrial cellular mobile network open to the public, for the provision of electronic communication services.”
Following the recent launch announcement, MTN Congo also expressed gratitude to local authorities, particularly Leon Juste Ibombo and the representative of the nation’s telecom regulator, Louis-Marc Sakala, saying the progress paves the way for new opportunities for connectivity and innovation.
Announcing Congo as the first in the region to deploy 5G, MTN Congo stated, “This technological advancement is an unprecedented opportunity to boost the development and growth of businesses,” adding that Congo is entering a new digital era with the 5G network.
Moreover, there were 2.24 million Internet users in the Congo in January 2024, with the country’s Internet penetration rate at 36.2% of the total population at the start of 2024 and predicted to reach 62.48% in 2024.
Additionally, 4G network coverage in the Republic of the Congo is estimated to reach 100% in 2024, and 3G network coverage is estimated to reach 98.85% in 2024.
Aside from leading the 5G race in Central Africa through MTN Congo, the Republic of the Congo will soon become the only Central African country with a data centre, as the nation has commenced the development of a $72.8 million, three-storey facility expected to be delivered by December 2024.
