QCell launches 5G in The Gambia

Gambian mobile operator QCell has launched the West African country's first commercial 5G service.

At the moment the service is only available in select locations in the capital city of Banjul and in other areas like Kairaba Avenue, Bakau-Fajara, Senegambia and Brusubi Turntable.

The QCell website says that 5G will provide Gambians download speeds up to 100 times faster than 4G and warns users that it could result in data packages finishing in a much shorter time frame.

"Most [device vendors] have locked their devices by default and open them by country, as operators roll out 5G. QCell has been working with many vendors to open up Gambia and so far vendors such as Apple, Huawei, Techno have been confirmed to support the QCell 5G network," the operator said.

QCell said it is offering 5G fixed services for institutions and homes using CPEs or MiFi devices. It is also offering 5G Mobile services, but the service is not activated by default and users need to request for 5G activation and sign a user acceptance form at any QCell customer care outlet.

Transforming Gambian industries

At the 5G launch ceremony QCell CTO Ahamat Jah said that 5G was placing The Gambia on the threshold of something remarkable.

"All industries will be transformed because 5G is the first mobile network that is significant for industry, which is why the technology has been referred to as game-changing fuel for the fourth industrial revolution," he said.

He spoke about advancements in sectors like agriculture as well as growth in smart homes and self-driving vehicles enabled by the next-gen tech.

"Let us imagine together a high-tech emerged Gambia with the help of 5G technology. Imagine a world where everything is connected in real time, everything around us becomes intelligent and alive. We no longer can communicate only with our kind but communicate with everything and anything around us," the CTO added.

Liu Zemin, GM of Huawei West Africa, QCell's technology partner, said that QCell's 5G network is the beginning of a new era for the country as it moves towards digitalization and intelligence.

"5G will help Gambia promote development of the digital economy, accelerating digital transformation across the industry while providing a better network experience for the Gambian population, bringing the digital world to everyone – every family and every organization," he added.

The launch of 5G is expected to help accelerate digital transformation in The Gambia. (Source: Image by Freepik).

QCell is part of the QuantumNet Group and had over 839,800 subscribers at the end of March 2023, or 24% market share making it the second biggest mobile operator in the country according to statistics from market research company Omdia, a sister company of Connecting Africa.

Africell Gambia is the biggest operator with about 46% market share; Gamcel is in third place with 14.8% market share; Comium Gambia had 13.8% market share; and the smallest operator Gamtel had just 1% of the country share.

West African 5G growth path

The Gambia is following the lead of West African powerhouse Nigeria which saw 5G launched by MTN in August 2022 – rolling out in seven cities with plans for further expansion.

Nigeria's Mafab Communications followed with a 5G launch in capital city of Abuja in January 2023.

Earlier this month, Senegal's telecommunications regulator also issued a call for applications for 5G licenses.

*Top image source: Image by GarryKillian on Freepik.

— Paula Gilbert, Editor, Connecting Africa