South African mobile data network operator rain, which recently launched its intelligent 5G transport network, continues to invest in its 5G network across the country.
5G promises to be much faster than the current fourth-generation 4G and LTE (Long-Term Evolution) networks, meaning that users should be able to download files, transfer data and browse the internet at much faster speeds than what telco services are capable of now.
An industry intelligence report by BIS Research titled “Global 5G Infrastructure Market – Analysis and Forecast, 2019-2025” sees the global 5G-infrastructure market growing by more than $42 billion by 2025.
Rain, partly owned by Patrice Motsepe, Paul Harris and Michael Jordaan, is taking on established players such as Vox, Vumatel and Telkom’s OpenServe in the lucrative broadband space.
African Rainbow Capital revealed on Friday that the new kid on the block is making good progress with the roll-out of its strategy of establishing a data network.
The investment vehicle owned by Motsepe said the key to achieving this is the contractual roaming agreement with Vodacom, which essentially is one of rain connecting its devices to a specified number of Vodacom’s towers to establish and expand its 4G network.
“At the same time, Vodacom purchases data from rain which it can on-sell to Vodacom customers,” said African Rainbow Capital.
“The net result of this relationship is that rain can sustainably fund its tower network roll-out.)
By the end of November, rain had about 3150 active 4G roaming sites, the company said.
rain has also launched a 5G network in September 2019, making South Africa one of the first countries in the world to have a 5G network.
“By end of November rain rolled out 250 5G towers and aims to roll out 700 5G towers by December 2020, ultimately having 2000 5G towers in key metro areas in South Africa.”
