Fakoyejo OlalekanDays after Mafab Communications reported it hit a setback in its new 5G network rollout, MTN Nigeria has began to connect its subscribers in seven states across the country, leaving out 29 others.
MTN Nigeria said the test run of the 5G service will go live in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, Oweri, and Maiduguri, with subscribers in the aforementioned regions gaining access to faster Internet speed.
Recall that both MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications had bid alongside Airtel Nigeria for the 5G spectrum, but Airtel dropped out of the 11 rounds bid that took place in December 2021.
Earlier this week, Mafab Communications said it will not meet the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) deadline for the 5G rollout, which is August 24, 2022.
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While Mafab Communications secured an extra five months from the telecommunications regulator to get its house in order and launch the new generation network by January, MTN, in a statement on Wednesday, reported that test run has began on deadline day.
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MTN Nigeria disclosed that not all subscribers in the seven selected states will be able to connect to the 5G network, as users need to have a 5G enabled device to access the network.
The statement reads, “Customers with certain enabled devices will be allowed to connect with and try out the new service where coverage is available.
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“The advanced technology promises to extend the reach and capacity of MTN Nigerid’s data network in Nigeria and enable much faster speeds and lower latency, giving customers near instant access to the things they care about and downloads that take seconds, instead of minutes.”
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