Listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, a mobile network operator, has partnered with Ericsson to launch 5G services in Harare, Zimbabwe.
According to a joint statement released by the companies, Ericsson will support Econet’s 5G implementation in Harare with its newest energy-efficient and high-performing Radio Access Network (RAN) and 5G Evolved Packet Core (EPC) technology.
According to the partners, Econet’s capacity and user experience will be boosted by much faster network speeds, which are up to ten times quicker than 4G technology.
They say that 5G will open up new prospects for Econet’s consumer and business customers in Zimbabwe, including Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) for households, small enterprises, schools, and other enterprise customers.
They also predict that the technology will increase access to financial inclusion in Zimbabwe’s urban and rural communities.
As Econet rolls out 5G in Zimbabwe, Ericsson’s common Network Functions Virtualisation Infrastructure (NFVI) platform seeks to enable the company to achieve a smooth migration experience from 3 and 4G networks.
“Working with Ericsson to launch 5G network in Zimbabwe is a key milestone in our digital transformation path,” said Econet CEO Douglas Mboweni. As we roll out the network across the country, our goal is to meet and fulfil our customers’ demands using the most cutting-edge technologies available. We are confident that Ericsson’s industry-leading and energy-efficient 5G technology will assist us in achieving that goal, as well as considerably improve our subscribers’ experience through a reliable connectivity.”
“We continue to enhance our long-term cooperation with Econet by providing Ericsson’s latest technology in Zimbabwe,” said Vice President and Head of Ericsson South and East Africa, Todd Ashton. For consumers and businesses in the country, 5G will be important in driving the digitalisation of the economy, increasing financial inclusion, and stimulating next-generation innovation. We are delighted to be a part of accelerating Zimbabwe’s digital future with Econet and bringing the benefits to the entire continent of Africa, in line with our #AfricaInMotion campaign, which focuses on empowering a connected and sustainable Africa, as part of our commitment to improving the continent’s digital infrastructure.”
