TNM brings 5G network

By Frank Phiri, contributor:

TNM plc has become the first mobile network operator in Malawi to launch the industry-revolutionising Fifth Generation (5G) network which delivers the fastest and highest quality mobile internet speeds.

The pilot 5G network is being unveiled together with MAHAPE, a communication platform conveying the emotions of happiness that the 5G and other existing TNM products and services create.

TNM Chief Executive Officer Michel Hebert said customers in selected areas of the country can now start receiving the signal to test the 5G network.

“In keeping with our tradition as a pioneer in mobile telecoms technology, we are excited to be the first in Malawi to bring 5G network services, just like we were the first to launch 2G, 3G & 4G network services,” he said.

The pilot launch proceeds following approvals by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority.

Hebert said in the past two years, TNM has invested up to K5.2 billion ($ 5.1 million) to upgrade and modernise its packet core network platform to support current data traffic growth, improve the 4G experience and now as a platform to launch 5G, in partnership with Huawei, the world’s technology leader.

He said introduction of the 5G services will deliver excellent end-user experiences as it offers internet speeds of up to 600 Mbps per site with 50MHz of spectrum and up to 1.2Gbps per site with 100MHz of spectrum, which is a quantum leap over 4G throughputs.

“5G offers broader capacity and far less latency for multi-media content services such as online gaming, ultra-HD, virtual reality, inter of things (IoT), data mining and synchronization, among other user applications,” he adds.

Hebert said the 5G experience is currently available at two sites in Blantyre and Lilongwe, before expanding to Mzuzu and Zomba.

In Blantyre, 5G will be accessible at Livingstone Towers and in Lilongwe at Bingu International Convention Centre.

Hebert says after successfully piloting the 5G technology, TNM will add 5G sites in Malawi resulting in immense socio-economic development benefits as 5G offers agile and high-speed internet capabilities with less or no latency.

“With 5G TNM customers will enjoy the best internet experience in the world. 5G will be significantly faster, offer more capacity (spectrum), has significantly lower latency, is a unified platform and uses better spectrum,” he says.

Minister of Information and Digitalization Moses Kunkuyu has commended TNM for its initiatives.