By Femi Oshiga 

The 5G future is beginning now across the Middle East and Africa.  With the technology expected to contribute billions to economies around the region, network operators are rolling out pilot deployments and making investments in communications infrastructure.  

For example, GSMA reported that local operators in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are rolling out deployments in the second half of 2019.  Saudi Arabia is releasing an additional 400 MHz in mid-band (3.5Ghz) to commercial operators, while 10,000 base stations will provide the nation’s consumers with the region’s fastest and most extensive coverage, according to Arabian Business.

As network operators like Telecom Egypt test 5G use cases, they are proactively looking for ways to enhance consumers’ experience while creating new revenue streams.  This includes augmented and virtual reality applications for mobile broadband and adapting to entertainment trends of the future.  5G could be a great technology to elevate electric sports (esports), professional gaming at a competitive level, across the region.

As you’ve read in our recent blogs, the excitement is real.   For some, testing will happen this year while for others, 5G is on the horizon.  To prepare for a network which is 100 times faster than 4G, our customers are investing in innovation which increases capacity and offers spectral efficiency.  

For more on what this investment looks like, check out my recent interview from MWC Barcelona:

Femi Oshiga is the Vice President of Service Providers, Middle East and Africa for CommScope