Econet and Ericsson have announced a joint venture to launch 5G in Harare, Zimbabwe, which will help boost capacity and user experience with faster network speeds and responsive time. This newly-formed partnership is aligned with Ericsson’s #AfricaInMotion movement, focusing on empowering a connected and sustainable Africa.
Ericsson will support Econet with its latest energy-efficient and high-performing Radio Access Network (RAN) and 5G Evolved Packet Core (EPC) solutions for 5G deployment in the capital Harare. The solutions will boost Econet’s capacity and user experience with significantly faster network speeds, which are up to 10 times the speed of 4G network.
The new and superfast fifth-generation broadband technology is set to present opportunities to Econet’s consumer and business customers by offering services such as Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) for homes, small enterprises and schools, among other enterprises in Zimbabwe. This technology will also broaden access to financial inclusion in Zimbabwe’s urban and rural areas.
Ericsson’s common Network Functions Virtualisation Infrastructure (NFVI) platform aims to help Econet achieve a smooth migration from 3G and 4G networks, as the 5G rolls out in Zimbabwe.
“Working with Ericsson to launch 5G in Zimbabwe is an important milestone in our digital transformation journey. As we deploy the network across the country, our goal remains that of meeting our customers’ needs using the latest technology available. We are certain that Ericsson’s industry-leading and energy-efficient 5G solutions will help us achieve that goal, and significantly improve our customer experience through reliable connectivity to our subscribers,” Econet CEO Douglas Mboweni said.
“We continue to strengthen our long-term partnership with Econet by providing Ericsson’s latest technology in Zimbabwe. 5G will play a critical role in accelerating the digitization of the economy, increase financial inclusion, and stimulate next-generation innovation for consumers and enterprises in the country. With our commitment to enhancing the digital infrastructure on the continent, we look forward to accelerating Zimbabwe’s digital future with Econet and bring the benefits to the entire continent and in line with #AfricaInMotion campaign, which focuses on empowering a connected and sustainable Africa,” Todd Ashton, Vice President and Head of Ericsson South and East Africa, said.
With a partnership of over two years, Ericsson remains committed to helping Econet build a robust digital infrastructure in Zimbabwe and driving digital transformation across the country.
Edited by Zintle Nkohla
Follow: @nkohla_zintle
Follow: @ITNewsAfrica
