KAMPALA, Uganda — MTN Uganda has begun piloting 5.5G technology, marking the first demonstration of its advanced network capabilities in East Africa and underscoring the company’s commitment to Uganda’s digital future. The pilot, showcased recently at MTN’s headquarters in Kampala, builds on the telecom’s previous milestone of being the first in East Africa to demonstrate 5G five years ago.

The 5.5G pilot offered a preview of a future defined by hyper-connectivity, ultra-low latency, and intelligent digital systems. This initiative aligns with MTN Uganda’s “Ambition 2025” strategy, which aims to accelerate digital inclusion and support national innovation.

Philip Katongole, Radio Planning Manager at MTN Uganda, emphasized that the progression from 5G to 5.5G represents a significant enhancement in network capabilities and user experience.

“To the customer, 5.5G means bolder digital inclusion,” Katongole stated. “It builds on what 5G introduced, such as faster speeds and reliable access to applications like high-definition streaming and online gaming, but takes it even further. We’re now talking about real-time broadband communication, ultra-low latency of less than 1 millisecond, and the ability to connect over a million devices per square kilometer. This opens up possibilities for smart cities, driverless cars, AI-generated content, and advanced industrial automation.”

Also known as 5G-Advanced, 5.5G is an evolution of 5G technology designed to significantly improve network performance, efficiency, and functionality. It serves as a transitional phase to future 6G networks and is notably ten times faster than 5G. While 5.5G is already seeing commercialization in advanced markets like China, MTN Uganda’s pilot places it among a select group of global telecoms actively preparing for potential deployment.

Bibian Amito, a Graduate Trainee in Radio Planning at MTN Uganda, indicated that with current infrastructure and strategic planning, the full rollout of 5.5G might be faster than that of 5G. “Internally, the engineering team is ready. We’re just aligning timelines, budgets, and commercial readiness,” Amito said.

The 5.5G pilot is part of a broader network investment strategy across the MTN Group. MTN Uganda is contributing through its unified cloud core modernization plan, fiber network expansion, and extensive infrastructure upgrades across the country. The company recently launched a new fiber route to boost connectivity and is upgrading its transport network, with access sites scaling to 100 Gbps and backbone links reaching 400 Gbps to prepare for anticipated data demand.

Katongole highlighted the substantial work undertaken since 5.5G’s global standardization in 2023, including upgrades to access and transport networks and modernizing cloud infrastructure, all laying the groundwork for a future commercial launch.

Thomas Motlepa, MTN Uganda’s Chief Technical and Information Officer, acknowledged the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) for its support. He noted that the successful 5.5G Proof of Concept would not have been possible without the UCC’s “consistent support and forward-thinking regulatory environment.”

Beyond its technical implications, the piloting of 5.5G is aligned with Uganda’s national agenda for digital transformation and economic modernization. It is expected to benefit key sectors including agriculture, education, healthcare, and manufacturing, promising enhanced productivity, real-time communication, and data-driven solutions.