Vodacom Breaks Africa's 5G Record with Dual-Band Massive MIMO Innovation

In a significant stride towards enhancing its network capabilities and meeting growing customer demand for data, Vodacom South Africa has successfully deployed a Dual-Band Massive Multiple Input, Multiple Output (MIMO) Radio in Cape Town. This marks the first time this technology has been integrated on African soil.

Beverly Ngwenya, Technology Director at Vodacom South Africa, spearheaded the coordination and implementation of this groundbreaking deployment. According to Ngwenya, this move is a response to the increasing demands for 5G connectivity in South Africa.

The new technology, which reduces installation and maintenance complexity, allows Vodacom to deliver LTE and 5G services in a way that optimizes both spectrum and energy use. This integration also enables Vodacom to broadcast all its recently acquired time division duplexing (TDD) spectrum from a single device.

Ngwenya emphasizes the importance of investment in the network and new technology for delivering an exceptional 5G customer experience. The new Dual-Band Massive MIMO Radio integrates two spectrum bands, n78 (3.5GHz) and B41 (2.6GHz), into a single compact unit.

This deployment will make a big difference in how Vodacom rolls out its high capacity and sustainable radio network. The company is excited about the network capacity this deployment unlocks and the great user experience it delivers to customers.

Vodacom's strategy with this technology is to enhance its 5G network leadership in South Africa. The successful deployment of this technology was described as a network first by Vodacom South Africa. The implementation of these radios in the network means consumers can experience ultra-fast 5G download speeds and enjoy high capacity 5G broadband services for both home and business use.

The new deployment ensures a smooth user experience across technologies. By future-proofing its network, Vodacom aims to connect its customers to a better future. This deployment will undoubtedly play a crucial role in Vodacom's continued efforts to reduce its cost base while accelerating rollouts.