Vodacom launches Africa's first, Dual-Band Massive MIMO 5G Radio

Vodacom South Africa has marked the start of the next wave of network modernisation with the successful deployment of a Dual-Band Massive Multiple Input, Multiple Output (MIMO) Radio in Cape Town, a first on African soil. The deployment of these radios in the network means Vodacom can broadcast all its recently acquired time division duplexing (TDD) spectrum from a single device. For consumers, this means that they experience ultra-fast 5G download speeds and enjoy high capacity 5G broadband services for both home and business use. The implementation of this technology demonstrates Vodacom's ongoing strategy to future-proof its network, to meet ever growing customer demand for data and enhance its 5G network leadership in South Africa.

"We are extremely excited to deliver another network first as Vodacom South Africa, which unlocks more network capacity and delivers a great user experience to our customers. The ability to deploy all our TDD spectrum on single radio is something that we have been working towards since we acquired the spectrum. This will make a big difference in how we rollout our high capacity and sustainable radio network", says Vodacom South Africa's Technology Director, Beverly Ngwenya.

Compared to traditional deployments that use separate radio units, the new Dual-Band Massive MIMO Radio integrates two spectrum bands – n78 (3.5GHz) and B41 (2.6GHz) – into a single compact unit. This unlocks several benefits including the ability for Vodacom to deliver its LTE and 5G services in a way that optimises both spectrum and energy use. It also ensures a smooth user experience across technologies, a reduction in installation and maintenance complexity as well as allowing Vodacom to continue to reduce its cost base while accelerating rollouts.

"As 5G connectivity demands increase in South Africa, we realised the need to develop smarter ways to expand our network while optimising for cost and energy consumption. Investment in the network and new technology remain critical to delivering an exceptional 5G customer experience as we continue to connect our customers to a better future", concludes Ngwenya.