By Alvin Lansana Kargbo
Orange Sierra Leone marked a historic moment on September 28th, 2023, with the official launch of its pioneering 5G trial technology during a Tech Night event held at the Freetown City Council basement. The telecommunications giant unveiled this cutting-edge technology to both prepaid and postpaid mobile users, ushering in an era of higher speeds, enhanced connectivity and reduced latency for its subscribers.
The event, graced by esteemed personalities, featured notable figures such as the Chief Minister, Dr. David Monina Sengeh, various Ministers of Government, the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General P. K. Lavahun and the Honorable Member of Parliament for Constituency 028 among others.
Also present were key industry figures, including Amara Brewah (Director General of NaTCA), Sekou Drame (CEO of Sonatel), and Sekou Amadou Bah (CEO of Orange Sierra Leone), as well as members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps.
Orange Sierra Leone, in its commitment to spearheading digital advancements, chose to pilot its 5G trial service exclusively in the Freetown Central Business District. This initiative aligns with the company’s broader strategy of expanding its technological footprint to empower subscribers to embrace and explore this innovative service.
The 5G trial service aims to deliver optimal speed, capacity and innovation, catering to the diverse needs of users as they embrace this transformative technology.
Sekou Drame, CEO of Sonatel, expressed his delight at the launch, highlighting that the introduction of 5G in Sierra Leone follows the successful implementation of this technology in Botswana and Jordan. He emphasized that this launch is a stepping stone for massive infrastructure investments and will facilitate digital transformation across various sectors, including entertainment, health, manufacturing, education and transportation.
Drame further underlined Orange’s commitment to network excellence, particularly in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, where they have become leaders in fiber deployment. He stressed that these investments would enhance customers’ experiences as well as speed up digitalization in those regions.
In the African context, Sekou Drame assured continued efforts to deploy both fixed and mobile networks, fostering economic and social development across the continent. He praised Orange Sierra Leone for setting a technological standard by initiating the 5G pilot, aligning it with the Government’s vision to drive technology, infrastructure and digitalization investments.
Sekou Amadou Bah, CEO of Orange Sierra Leone, reiterated the significance of this milestone in driving digital development within the country. He emphasized that the 5G trial has the potential to catalyze rapid technological advancement and economic growth, enabling the full realization of the internet’s potential. Bah highlighted the transformative impact of the 5G technology on sectors like education, health, manufacturing and commercial agriculture.
He assured users that the 5G trial services would deliver faster and more reliable connectivity, building on Orange’s track record of connecting over 7 million people in Sierra Leone to 3G, 4G and 4G+ networks. The launch also includes a Fiber to Home Internet Offer, designed to improve productivity and connectivity through fast and efficient internet, offering high-speed broadband experiences at affordable prices.
Orange Sierra Leone’s ambition is to promote digital inclusion by democratizing mobile broadband and making it accessible to all. Over the past seven years, Orange has positioned itself as a reliable and ambitious investor, committed to increasing mobile and internet penetration across the country.
Bah expressed profound gratitude to the Government for creating a conducive business environment and commended the Ministry of Communication for driving the digital transformation agenda in the private sector. He also praised the National Communication Authority for pioneering the 5G trial launch and offering support to mobile network operators.
In his closing remarks, Bah underscored that 5G heralds a new era of possibilities for the country, urging all stakeholders to work together to harness its potential.
Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, challenged everyone to leverage technology to promote equity, emphasizing that innovation must be harnessed to reduce inequality, aligning with the Government’s promise.
The official pilot launch of Orange Sierra Leone’s 5G trial technology follows the completion of necessary infrastructure, enabling the company to provide this groundbreaking service in approved locations specified in the trial license granted by the Regulatory Authority.
During the initial stage, Orange Sierra Leone will explore various use cases to enhance speed for fixed wireless access and mobile broadband.
