The Chairman of Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo has highlighted the three categories of spectrum that will suit the deployment of 5G in Nigeria and ultimately, function effectively.
In a paper titled ‘Deployment of New Technology for Improved Consumer Experience, 5G Misconception and Conspiracy Theory’, which he presented today at the Second Quarter Open Forum of the Industry Consumer Advisory Forum (ICAF) for the Year 2021, Engr. Adebayo noted that 5G will require spectrum of different frequencies to suit different applications.
The three categories of spectrum, according to him are low frequency spectrum (the 700 MHz band) to enable wide coverage; mid-frequency spectrum (the 3.4–3.8 GHz band) for large bandwidths to provide necessary capacity and to enable higher speeds; and high-frequency spectrum (26 GHz band) providing ultra-high capacity but with very small coverage ranges.
He described 5G as the next generation of wireless network technology, which is expected to provide faster connections with much higher capacity and very fast response times, allowing many more users and devices to access faster internet connections and large amounts of data at the same time.
‘5G is the fifth generation of wireless telecom technology (a progression on 2G, 3G & 4G) predicated on the twin pillars of increased speed and reliability. 5G will offer a significantly improved user experience by reason of its enhanced latency capabilities evidenced by much faster data exchange and response times,” he said.
In comparison to 4G, 5G is expected to be up to 10 times faster and provide near 100% availability, coverage, and reduction in energy usage. 5G is also expected to provide efficient support for larger numbers of connections, enabling the Internet of Things (IoT).
In Q3 2020, the worldwide median download speed over 5G was 954% faster than over 4G while the median upload speed over 5G was 311% faster than 4G. According to OfCom, 5G offers greater capacity, allowing thousands of devices in a small area to be connected at the same time.
“5G delivers improved data rates (up to 100 times faster than current mobile networks), supporting virtually instant access to services and applications, with network latency significantly reduced. In addition, it offers network slicing technology making it possible to dedicate a unique part of a 5G network for a particular service,” Engr. Adebayo added.
The Industry Consumer Advisory Forum (ICAF) is an initiative of the Consumer Bureau Department of the Nigerian Communications Commission.
The Commission, as a result of its consumer centric posture and in order to ensure non-discriminatory services delivery as well as an acceptable quality of experience by consumers of ICT products and services hereby establishes an Industry Consumer Advisory Forum.
The Industry Consumer Advisory Forum (ICAF) acting in an advisory capacity makes recommendations to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) regarding the interests and concerns of consumers of ICT products and services including persons with Special Needs and the Elderly; to advice on protection from unfair practices as well as submit memoranda on and facilitate the review of the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations.
