How Squire Technologies Empowers Africa’s 3G and 4G Infrastructure for a 5G Future

In an interview at Mobile World Congress 2024, Sanjeev Verma, the CEO of Squire Technologies , shared valuable insights into the transformative role of 5G technology in Africa. Despite the continent’s unique challenges, Verma highlighted the enormous potential 5G holds in driving digital transformation across Africa’s vast landscape, which spans over 12 million square miles.

Verma pointed out the significant opportunity for 5G to enhance connectivity in business hubs across Africa, offering high-speed, reliable connections without the common disruptions in many parts of the continent. However, he also acknowledged the need for basic connectivity in less developed areas, underscoring the region’s dual nature of technological advancement.

Africa has its unique challenges, indeed both commercially as well as geographically. We have to put in perspective that the total geographical area of Europe is around 3.9 million square miles and the US is around 3.8 million square miles, combined together there are still less than 2/3 of Africa which is 12 million square miles. Now in this vast area, there are business pockets which will hugely benefit from high-speed 5G connectivity without the disruption of power outages without the restrictions of physical access to landing sites.

Sanjeev Verma, the CEO of Squire Technologies

As Verma noted, one of the main hurdles in rolling out 5G in Africa is the relatively low average revenue per user (ARPU), which makes the capital expenditure for such advanced infrastructure a critical consideration for operators. Moreover, with mobile penetration at 45% and mobile internet usage at 25%, there’s a clear imperative to expand connectivity to foster digital inclusion.

Squire Technologies plays a crucial role in helping local operators transform their core network. It focuses on repurposing existing infrastructure to facilitate a smooth transition to 5G. Verma emphasized the company’s approach of not just replacing but enhancing current systems to support both forward and backward compatibility, thereby reducing costs and extending the life of existing networks.

In closing, Verma touched on the broader implications of 5G rollouts, highlighting the interconnectedness of network ecosystems and the need for comprehensive upgrades, even for operators not directly launching 5G services. This perspective sheds light on the collaborative effort required to fully realize the benefits of 5G, not just for individual operators but for the entire network landscape across different regions.