As Nigeria tries the superfast 5G networking, there's no shortage of hype over how the next generation of wireless technology could leapfrog Africa into the high-speed internet age.
Here's what you need to know;
The twittersphere was buzzing weeks ago with the news that the telecommunications company MTN had started testing 5G superfast mobile internet in Nigeria, a first for West Africa.
After live 5G demonstrations in Abuja and Calabar, MTN plans to showcase the technology in several other Nigerian cities during the three-month trial period.
Nigeria hopes to start rolling out 5G in select cities in 2020 – one of the few African countries that have committed to the new mobile technology. Gabon is also holding trials, while Lesotho and South Africa have small networks up and running.
But what is all the hype about and is Africa really ready for 5G?
What is 5G?
5G is the abbreviation for fifth generation. It's the next generation of mobile internet technology and comes on the heels of the 4G LTE standard.
5G promises radically faster download and upload times. Websites will open in microseconds, and videos will download in seconds rather in minutes.
5G also has significantly less latency or lag – the delay that causes the annoying echoes and video flickers when you're talking on WhatsApp or playing video games online.
5G is expected to become more widespread across Africa from the mid-2020s
"I think 5G really has the capability to change the way humans live dramatically because the time in which data is sent and received is dramatically reduced. From the human perspective, it's almost instant," says Muyiwa Matuluko, editor-in-chief of Techpoint Africa.
"We can begin to think of all the things that that enables, from artificial intelligence to virtual reality and self-driving cars, or remote medical surgery. So I am really excited about it," Matuluko said.
How does 5G work?
5G uses radio waves to transmit and receive data between an antenna or mast and your phone.
It relies on higher radio frequencies than earlier mobile technology. These can't travel as far other frequencies so 5G networks need a denser network of base stations or masts. Because of this, 5G is better suited to densely populated urban areas where many people are going online at the same time.
When will 5G be available in Africa?
It's still early days so don't hold your breath. Lesotho and South Africa are the only African countries where 5G is commercially available, but the services are extremely limited.
In Lesotho, only the Central Bank and a mining company can use 5G so far.
In South Africa, the data provider Rain is offering 5G to a select group of customers in Johannesburg and Tshwane, a municipality that includes Pretoria.
A report on 5G in Africa by GSMA, a global trade organization for mobile operators, estimates that only seven African countries, including South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, will have 5G by 2025. And this will account for only 3% of mobile data compared to 16% globally.
It is assumed enterprises and public institutions, rather than consumers, will be the initial 5G customers and that they'll access 5G via a fixed access point - something like a 5G hotspot beamed into a business - rather than using it as a mobile service on their smartphones.
What's holding African countries back?
African governments haven't yet developed the regulations that would allow for a 5G rollout. In addition, mobile operators face huge infrastructure costs and that they aren't sure how they'll recoup.
Mobile carriers on the continent can't launch full 5G services until each country's communications regulator holds a spectrum auction to sell the rights to transmit over specific frequencies. (Rain in South Africa can only provide 5G because its using it existing spectrum to transmit the signal.)
Mobile operators also need to build the vast network of masts or antennas to transmit the signals.
For carriers, rolling out 5G services entails expensive investment - and in the African context, they aren't sure it is worth it.
But despite all of these hindrances for African countries, it's going to be interesting how drastic 5G is going to change our lives and living in the not too distant future.
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