Vodacom DRC first operator to launch 4G

Vodacom DRC, the country’s leading mobile network provider, has once again taken the lead and is the first to commercially launch 4G services with speeds in excess of 20Mb/s in the DRC. This follows approval of the 4G licence. The service will initially be accessible to customers in Kinshasa before expanding to other cities in the near future.

According to Diego Gutierrez, Chief Operating Officer International Markets at Vodacom, this marks another significant milestone for the group having pioneered advanced technological innovations such as 2G, BBM, 3G, 3G +, M-Pesa. “Moreover, the achievement is in line with our ambition to deliver world-class digital services across all our markets within which we operate”.

“We continue to accelerate the roll out of 4G networks to more regions and ensuring there is sufficient coverage in the rural areas. Currently our 3G and 4G coverage as well as download speeds in countries like Tanzania, Lesotho and Mozambique are well above those of our next best competitors. The introduction of 4G enables us, amongst other things to, seize digital opportunities, grow our enterprise business, develop local content and media platforms, and empower customers through a seamless digital experience. With improved technology, the opportunities for innovation and expansion are endless”, he added.

4G allows for faster and more reliable mobile connectivity speeds and capacity. The service has the potential to operate at more than double the speed of any existing mobile connection within the country and will offer users buffer-free video and picture downloads experience.