Following the signing of a five-year strategic partnership with Huawei Technologies earlier this year to transform and modernize its network towards a Cloud-native 5G-Capable Core network, MTN Uganda on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hima Cement to start preparations for the launch of 5G in Hima’s operations.
This partnership marks the first-ever consideration by a telecommunications company to deploy 5G in a client’s operations and affirms MTN Uganda’s readiness to deploy this game-changing technology in the country.
While at the signing ceremony at the Hima factory in Kasese, MTN Uganda’s Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO) Mr. Ali Monzer together with technology partners Huawei, conducted a demonstration that showcased the kind of speeds and reduced latency that separates 5G from current technologies.
In the right conditions, 5G can be 100 times faster than 4G, and relatedly, latency or the delay in the transmission of data between points can be reduced to a mere 5 milliseconds (from an average of 60 milliseconds on 4G).
The press was shown two use cases to demonstrate a near 5G experience. The first test involved real-time virtual reality training on EHS (Environmental Health and Safety), which ensures the safety of trainers and trainees as they work in accident-prone areas of the plant. On the other hand, the second test involved comparing the latency speeds between a 4G and 5G-enabled surveillance camera. The results were clearly noticeable, with the near-5G network enabling near-instantaneous live feeds with minimal latency, while the 4G camera suffered from lags and delays.
The use of 5G technology is set to revolutionize the way businesses operate in Uganda, bringing greater efficiency and productivity to industries and commerce in general.
Speaking at the event, MTN Uganda CEO Ms. Sylvia Mulinge said, “This is another big milestone in our journey to deploy a technology that will accelerate the realization of Uganda’s economic potential and unlock wealth creation opportunities for its people.”
Hima Cement was chosen as the perfect collaborating partner for future rollout because of the high usage of edge computing applications, smart mobility, remote infrastructure, and asset monitoring capabilities required in their business.
“With this partnership, we can see what’s possible with 5G technology which will accelerate our ‘Plants of Tomorrow’ program to find automated and data-driven solutions to make our industrial operations more sustainable,” remarked Jean-Michel Pon, the Country CEO of Hima Cement.
Gao Fei, the Managing Director of Huawei Technologies (Uganda) said, “We have demonstrated some industrial use cases for 5G in Uganda. To Huawei, this is an indication of our long-term relationship with MTN Uganda and trust in our technology solutions.”
Mulinge noted that MTN Uganda is ready, and the network is primed to roll out 5G as soon as the telco gets the regulatory tools and approvals to do so.
As part of its Ambition 2025 strategy, MTN Uganda continues to invest in its infrastructure and partnerships to ensure that it remains at the forefront of the telecommunications industry and revolutionizes the way businesses operate by providing faster, more reliable connections to its customers.
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