President Akufo-Addo has officially launched Ghana’s 5G mobile broadband services.
5G service has been described as the Fifth Generation of Wireless Technology, which offers higher internet speed, higher upload and download speed, with more consistent connections and improved capacity.
5G networks run on the same radio frequencies as their predecessors, 3G, 4G and 4G LTE networks, which previously served most mobile phones worldwide.
Speaking at the official launch on Friday (1 November), Akufo-Addo said the intiative marks the beginning of a new era in Ghana’s digital journey.
”As we launch 5G in Ghana today, let us embrace our responsibility to build a stronger and more inclusive Ghana, our success will not only be measured by internet speed but by the tangible improvement in the lives of people, industries and fostering innovation across all regions.
”Let this day mark the beginning of a new era in our digital journey, one that leads Ghana to economic resilience, social inclusivity and global competitiveness.”
”Together let us use gthe power of 5G to propel Ghana into a future of boundless possibilities creating a legacy of innovation and progress for generations to come,” Akufo-Addo said.
The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said the initial roll out will cover major cities such as Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi.
”5G has now arrived in Ghana, marking a significant step forward in our digital journey. The initial roll out focus is on major cities starting today, where we anticipate residents in Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi will begin experiencing the benefits immediately once the network operators activate it.”
”Our goal is to achieve coverage across additional urban areas by the end of 2024, for full nationwide coverage including rural regions, we are looking at a multi-phased approach aiming for comprehensive access by 2026,” Owusu-Ekuful said.
Partnership
Government had earlier announced its partnership with seven industry players on a new shared infrastructure to deliver affordable 5G mobile broadband services across Ghana.
The seven partners are Ascend Digital, K-NET, Radisys, Nokia, and Tech Mahindra and two telcos – AT Ghana and Telecel Ghana.
The company is the first 5G Mobile Broadband Shared Infrastructure Entity to build a nationwide 4G/5G network.
It will also work with the telcos to launch affordable 4G/5G-enabled FWA CPEs and smartphones in Ghana within this calendar year.