Telecom Namibia says it plans to introduce commercial 5G services in targeted areas by 2026 to deliver faster speed, lower latency, and enhanced capacity.
The telecommunications operator CEO Stanley Shanapinda said the company is set to begin trial deployments in Otjozondjupa and Omaheke regions in 2025, complying with CRAN requirements, as a precursor to full-scale 5G rollout.
“While we haven’t begun trials in the designated areas of Otjozondjupa and Omaheke, we anticipate starting these trials next year and launching commercial 5G services in 2026, initially in targeted areas,†he said.
He further explained that the company is currently upgrading its core network infrastructure to support the new technology with the upgrading of its existing infrastructure to 4G and 4.5G networks to ensure seamless connectivity for customers.
“We are currently rolling out 4G and 4.5G networks, which will provide excellent coverage and speeds for both residential and small business customers. While 5G is primarily designed for industrial applications, 4G and 4.5G will be more than sufficient for most everyday needs,†he said.
Shanapinda further explained that the company is also replacing copper lines with fiber optic cables to improve service quality and address the ongoing issue of copper theft. This transition to fiber is expected to provide faster speeds and more reliable connectivity for customers. The expansion is currently underway in various areas including Wanaheda, Swakopmund, and Ongwediva.
“Within the next two months, our sales teams will be reaching out to customers to offer a seamless transition from copper ADSL to fiber at a minimal cost. This upgrade will significantly improve service quality and accommodate the growing number of devices used in homes,†he explained.
To enhance network performance, Shanapinda also said that the telecommunications giant has activated additional capacity on the recently inaugurated Equino submarine cable. This investment, he said, will provide the company with the necessary bandwidth to support the growing demand for data services.
“This cable provides global internet capacity, and we recently increased our capacity on it by 100 gigabits. This expansion is directly contributing to the improved performance of our TN Mobile services and fiber offerings,” he said.
