Telecom operator blames Covid-19 for slow uptake of 4G network
By Moses Ndhaye
Telecom operators in Uganda have blamed the low uptake of 4G Mobile services on the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Chief Marketing Officer MTN-Uganda Somdev Sen says although some of their urban clients have embraced the new technology, the rural population is yet to adapt to it because their income streams have been adversely affected by the effects of the pandemic.
He says currently, just about 35% of people buying new smart phones acquire 4G devices.
Somdev made the remarks at the company’s launch of a new data bundle package with no expiry date.
He says currently, the total number of internet users in Uganda is estimated at just over 6.8 million, of which about 3.4million are mobile data subscribers.
Compared to the voice penetration which stands at 53%, data penetration is still very low at just 25%.
4G is a loose term for the fourth generation of cellular communications, offering speeds that are about 10 times faster than they are on current third-generation, or 3G, networks.
Its higher data speeds could make smartphones much more comparable to PCs, giving them better multimedia and gaming capabilities.
