Digitel South Sudan has launched what it says is the first 5G trial in the country, which it hopes can help address the digital divide in South Sudan where the majority of people remain unconnected.
According to media reports, the non-standalone (NSA) 5G trial in Juba was conducted in collaboration with Chinese vendor ZTE, utilising 60 MHz of spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band. A demo of the trial – which was livestreamed on Facebook – registered a download speed of 1.2 Gbps.
Digital Executive Vice President De Chan Awol said at the trial launch that the 5G trial launch is part of the telco’s aim to bridge the digital divide.
“If there is a new technology out there that can help connect our people, Digitel will try to bring that technology to South Sudan,” he said.
Digitel, which began operations in South Sudan in 2020, is one of three telcos in the country, alongside South African mobile operator MTN, and Kuwait-based Zain Telecom.
However, South Sudan has one of the lowest connectivity rates in the world. According to the latest statistics from GSMA Intelligence, there were 3.97 million mobile connections in South Sudan at the start of this year, which works out to a penetration rate of 35.5%, and represents a 7.7% increase from a year ago. The actual penetration may be lower when accounting for multiple SIM ownership.
Meanwhile, according to Kepios, South Sudan has 1.36 million internet users in January 2024, for a penetration rate of 12.1% – which means almost 88% of the population remains offline.
Mabe Emmanuel, Secretary General of the Universal Service and Access Fund, called on Digitel and the government to ensure that 5G is deployed outside of Juba. “There are people outside in rural areas who actually need this technology,” he said.
Deputy Minister of Information, Jacob Maijiu Korok described 5G as “a gateway to unprecedented opportunities and possibilities” that will not only benefit businesses across different sectors, but enable development of smart cities and advanced healthcare solutions.
