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Kenya 5G run.
What is 5G?
5G is the 5th generation mobile network. It is a new global wireless standard after 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G networks. 5G enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices.
5G wireless technology aims to provide faster multi-Gbps peak data speeds, ultra low latency, enhanced reliability, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a seamless user experience, enabling new possibilities and industry connections.
Where is 5G being used?
Broadly speaking, 5G is used across three main types of connected services, including enhanced mobile broadband, mission-critical communications, and the massive IoT. A defining capability of 5G is that it is designed for forward compatibility—the ability to flexibly support future services that are unknown today.
Enhanced mobile broadband
In addition to making our smartphones better, 5G mobile technology can usher in new immersive experiences such as VR and AR with faster, more uniform data rates, lower latency, and lower cost-per-bit.
Mission-critical communications
5G can enable new services that can transform industries with ultra-reliable, available, low-latency links like remote control of critical infrastructure, vehicles, and medical procedures.
Massive IoT
5G is meant to seamlessly connect a massive number of embedded sensors in virtually everything through the ability to scale down in data rates, power, and mobility—providing extremely lean and low-cost connectivity solutions.
Kenya 5G position.
In April Safaricom announced that it has expanded the reach of its high-speed 5G network to 28 towns in all 21 counties of Kenya. This development allows customers residing in these areas to experience faster connectivity for their homes and businesses. The expansion is a significant increase from the initial coverage of 11 towns in eight counties that Safaricom introduced when it launched commercial 5G services in October of the previous year. This expansion demonstrates Safaricom's proactive approach to expanding its data business in response to the sluggish growth in revenue from voice calls.
The Giant telco company also announced the introduction of 5G data bundles targeting its over 400,000 customers who use 5G smartphones with typical speeds of between 400Mbps and 700Mbps.
At the launch of the network last year, Safaricom listed regions that had access as including Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, Kajiado, Kisumu, Mombasa, Kisii and Kakamega.
The new extensions now cover counties such as Kilifi, Kwale, Nakuru, Laikipia, Uasin Gishu, Garissa, Kericho and Marsabit.
In efforts to have Kenyans get a taste of the 5G capabilities, Safaricom has partnered with Chinese tech firm Huawei to set up three 5G experience centers in Nairobi.
Health Concerns Over 5G
To date, more than 3,500 physicians across preventive and environmental medicine, toxicology and other specialties have united against 5G, citing main associated risks of nonionizing radiation—according to peer-reviewed scientific literature—including cancer, cellular stress, genetic damage, reproductive changes and deficits and neurological disorders.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and FDA declare 5G safe. And, according to Collins, “all wireless communications use nonionizing electromagnetic radiation to transmit energy and information through space without the need for wires.” For 5G, he says, “the electromagnetic waves have a higher frequency, which allows it to carry more information. It also has a smaller wavelength and does not penetrate the body as far as lower-frequency energy.”
Not all experts agree with those conclusions. Whether or not 5G could negatively impact your brain is something researchers are still studying, and will likely monitor for some time.
These myths around other 5G controversies, meanwhile, have already been debunked:
What's new in Kenya?
ABSA bank is Partnering with Visa to Launch Card-to-Mobile Payment Solution for SMEs in Kenya.
Absa Bank Kenya and Visa collaborate to launch Absa Mobi Tap, a payment solution enabling small businesses to accept card payments using an Android smartphone. This innovative solution turns the smartphone into a point of sale (POS), allowing customers to easily tap their debit or credit cards on an Android device for seamless payments.
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