ABIDJAN, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Cote d'Ivoire is set to launch its 5G network as early as July, Ivorian Minister of Digital Transition and Technological Innovation Djibril Ouattara has said.
During an online exchange Thursday with internet users organized by the Government Information and Communication Center, Ouattara said discussions with telecom operators were nearing completion ahead of the deployment of the technology.
"Since January, we have been working on this issue. All operators have already equipped their networks with this technology, and we are currently finalizing discussions for the launch of 5G," he said.
Cote d'Ivoire has three major mobile network operators, which also serve as the country's main internet service providers.
According to the minister, 5G coverage will gradually extend to all cities with more than 25,000 inhabitants.
Ouattara also said that authorities had recently authorized satellite internet provider Starlink to begin trial operation in the country in July for a period of 12 months.
With an estimated population of 30 million, Cote d'Ivoire had, as of Dec. 31 last year, more than 60 million active mobile phone subscriptions, around 38 million active mobile internet subscriptions and about 500,000 fixed internet subscriptions.
According to the minister, internet coverage currently reaches 95 percent of the country's mobile networks.
The government plans to connect an additional 300 localities with more than 800 inhabitants to GSM services starting next year, under the National Rural Connectivity Program, which aims to provide coverage to all such localities by 2030, he said.
"Cote d'Ivoire's ambition is clear: we want to become the digital leader in West Africa," Ouattara said. Enditem
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