Ericsson announced on Tuesday it has completed the expansion and modernisation of MTN Rwanda’s network in Kigali to extend coverage and make the network ready for 5G rollouts in the future.
Under the project, MTN Rwanda deployed Ericsson’s energy-efficient multi-band and multi-sector radios. Eugen Gakwerere, the telco’s acting chief technology and innovation officer, said the radios not only optimise site footprints, but also reduce power consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
“The modernization project brings important improvements to MTN Rwanda’s network, expanding coverage to underserved areas, increasing network capacity to support more users without congestion, and providing faster data speeds for a smoother digital experience,” Gakwerere said in a statement.
MTN Rwanda CEO Mapula Bodibe said the expansion and modernization project enables better connectivity and a better customer experience, as well as social benefits such as accelerated economic development and better access to education and healthcare.
“This initiative not only strengthens our network infrastructure but also aligns with our ambition to drive digital and financial inclusion for all, ultimately contributing to Rwanda’s economic and social development,” she said.
According to news agency Ecofin, MTN Rwanda’s network covered 99.1% of the population at the end of 2023. The telco aims to hit 99.9% coverage by the end of this year.
While Ericsson said the modernisation project makes MTN Rwanda’s network 5G-ready, there are no concrete plans by the government or telcos to launch 5G in the country anytime soon, as operators mostly remain focused on 4G.
That said, at last year’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) Africa in Kigali, MTN Rwanda staged a 5G demo at its exhibition stand. A month earlier, SoftBank and the Rwandan government said they had successfully tested SoftBank’s proprietary 5G payload installed on a solar-powered High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) prototype.
MTN Rwanda had 8.2 million mobile subscribers as of June 30, 2024, accounting for 61.1% of the market, according to statistics from the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA). MTN also had just over 6 million mobile Internet subscribers (59.9% market share).
