Ericsson Powers MTN to a Successful 5G Trails in Lagos

Ericsson, telecommunications equipment manufacturer assisted MTN Nigeria to a successful 5G trails in Lagos recently.

Ericsson

At the event MTN demonstrated the capacity of 5G service in enhancing tele-medicine, smart city solutions, high-speed internet of over 300 times faster than 4G using Ericsson equipment.

Speaking at the event Nasir Hayatou, senior manager, Radio Frequency Planning, MTN Nigeria, said that fibre to site is a major challenge.

“We told government that one of the major challenges is protection of our infrastructure, we have witnessed a situation where people come with truck and take our generators.

“We have communities today where we are not able to build towers because after setting up the sites the same community will go back and vandalize our equipment. Government needs to help us though the minister has given us assurance that very soon telecom equipment will be included as critical national infrastructure.

“One of the reasons we brought stakeholders to witness this trial is that we want people to see the advantages one gets when you simulate this technology within a very small environment, you can see the speed over 300 times more than 4G speed, you can imagine what the experience is like.

In the same vein, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) decried the impact of vandalization of telecommunications infrastructure on quality of service as 5G trial is carried out around the country, noting that the effort in passing legislation on declaring telecom infrastructure critical national infrastructure will guarantee that Nigerians benefit optimally from the 5G technology.

Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, who stated this at the event, also affirmed that 5G will be the bedrock of future communications.

According to him, 5G launch is a testament to the support of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy to the Nigerian Communications Commission and the private sector.

Danbatta, who spoke through Mr. Henry Ojiokpota, NCC’s Lagos Zonal Controller at the event, which attracted traditional rulers, medical practitioners, students and the representatives of Lagos state government, also quoted a GSMA report that 5G is expected to support significantly, faster mobile broadband speeds and lower latencies than earlier generation networks.

He noted that 5G will enable the full potential of the Internet of Things (IoT). “5G is a game-changer that will revolutionise the way of life from education to agriculture, security to entertainment, and governance in general” Danbatta stated.

Explaining further, the EVC said the availability of a fast wireless network will enable virtual learning and empower students and teachers to re-imagine what is possible inside and outside their classrooms.

In healthcare delivery, Danbatta said 5G will ease Artificial Intelligence (AI) and revolutionise healthcare as it makes it easier to organise diagnoses and to decide on the best treatment plan for a specific patients.

“As demonstrated here today, by moving to 5G networks, healthcare organisations can use the AI tools they need to provide the best care possible from wherever they are in the hospital or clinic,” he stated.

Lagos is the third city in Nigeria, where MTN has demonstrated the potency of 5G technology. The demonstration of the technology had earlier taken place at Abuja and Calabar on 25th and 28th November respectively.