Africa-focused telco Paratus launches Namibia’s first private mobile network

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WINDHOEK (Reuters) -Africa-focused telecommunications operator and network services provider Paratus Group has launched the first mobile network run by a private company in Namibia, a move expected to disrupt the local market dominated by state-owned MTC and Telecom Namibia.

Paratus says its network is built entirely on 4G LTE technology, which is faster than 2G and 3G. Many telecom companies want to move customers away from copper-based technology to 4G LTE.

Neighbouring South Africa plans a total shutdown of 2G and 3G networks by December 31, 2027, to free up radio waves for 4G LTE and 5G, but critics of the plan have argued that it would exacerbate the digital divide as many low-income consumers may not be able to afford smartphones designed for faster networks.

“Launching Namibia’s first private mobile network is a deliberate step in our mission to transform Africa’s digital landscape,” said Paratus Group CEO Schalk Erasmus.

The company is expected to bite into the markets of Telecom Namibia and Mobile Telecommunications Company, the first and biggest mobile telecom operator in Namibia, which has dominated the market since 1994, with over two million active subscribers in a population of just over three million.

Paratus, which has invested over 1.42 billion Namibian dollars ($81 million), said it expected to attract a tech-savvy demographic seeking quick and convenient mobile solutions.

Paratus operates in 15 countries including South Africa, Kenya and Angola.

($1 = 17.5648 Namibian dollars)

(Reporting by Nyasha Nyaungwa;Editing by Sfundo Parakozov and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)