Safaricom paused its 5G network launch plans to instead focus on converting 2G and 3G customers, to its 4G network which it previously pledged to boost coverage to 100% in Kenya .
Business Daily reported, Peter Ndegwa, Safaricom CEO, said there are no immediate plans to launch 5G services as “there is still so much headroom for us to exploit and fully utilise 4G before we go into 5G.”
The chief executive added the operator tested 5G in Kenya and will continue discussions with the government on spectrum. However, “in terms of immediacy, we are not intending at this stage to go big on 5G in the near term,” added Ndegwa.
The operator announced in November its plans to cover the entire population of Kenya with its4G services, by ramping up capital expenditure by 25.5%.
On the back of its upgraded 4G network, Safaricom planned to sell new digital products in the health, agriculture, and education sectors, with a focus on MSMEs and SMEs.