Airtel Nigeria has inaugurated the Fifth Generation Network (5G) in Lagos, Rivers, Ogun states, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The Chief Commercial Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Femi Oshinlaja, made this known during the inauguration of the 5G network in Lagos on Monday, June 19.

Oshinlaja said unlike the 3G and 4G networks, telecoms subscribers do not need to upgrade their SIM cards to use 5G.

He added that the 5G works seamlessly on a 4G SIM as long as it is used with a compatible device and in the right location.

“On pricing, it is the same amount with the other generation networks,” he said.

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The Airtel official added that apart from the partnership with Samsung to provide affordable 5G smartphones, the company was subsidising its 5G routers to make it affordable to Nigerians.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Carl Cruz, said 5G was a new experience that made cloud computing, telemedicine, self-driving cars, cloud gaming, augmented reality and virtual reality, Internet of Things (IoT), smart homes, and much more, extremely powerful and fast.

Cruz noted that with Airtel 5G, it would be easier to empower creatives and entrepreneurs in tech, medicine, fashion, retail, communications, and media to bring more adventurous ideas.

He said: “5G ushers in a new era of collaboration that would break boundaries and present a new wave of economic benefits for this generation and the next.

“We cannot wait to see how young people all over the country explore this new world of instant and unbroken connections to unleash a revolution in creativity.

“Airtel Nigeria is proud to be an early mover with 5G technology, not just in Africa but all over the world.

“Thanks to the commitment of the Nigerian government, 5G became a reality early in Nigeria when only about 60 countries had access worldwide.”

He added that the frequency spectrum band allocated to 5G would make the experience more worthwhile for consumers, noting that they would ensure 5G was accessible and widespread in the country.

Cruz stressed that consumers with 5G-enabled devices like Samsung, iPhone, or any other brand could now experience the speed and robustness of 5G on the Airtel Nigeria network.

The Star