5G Technology Unveiled by Tunisia's Telecom Company for Local Customers' Use
Tunisie Telecom, the leading telecommunications operator in Tunisia, has successfully introduced 5G technology in the country and North Africa, making it the first operator in the region to do so. The 5G deployment, supported by Ericsson, has been carried out within the set timeframe as outlined by the Tunisian Ministry of ICT.
The 5G launch in Tunisia uses Time Division Duplexing (TDD) sites on the 3.5 GHz frequency band and repurposed 4G spectrum (FDD) in the 2100 and 1800 MHz frequencies. This strategic approach offers several significant advantages and implications:
- Enhanced Network Capacity and Speed The 3.5 GHz band, a mid-band spectrum, provides a good balance between coverage and capacity. TDD operation on this band supports higher data rates and improved throughput, catering to growing consumer demand for high-speed mobile internet and advanced 5G services.
- Efficient Spectrum Utilization Through TDD TDD technology separates uplink and downlink transmissions in time, making it more flexible to allocate resources based on traffic requirements. This capability is particularly beneficial for urban or high-traffic areas where download demand exceeds upload demand. It also optimizes the use of the available spectrum, improving overall spectral efficiency.
- Leverage of Existing 4G Spectrum Repurposing 4G spectrum for 5G reduces the need for new spectrum allocation, lowering costs and accelerating 5G rollout. This spectrum refarming enables Tunisie Telecom to transition smoothly from 4G to 5G, maintaining service continuity while upgrading capabilities.
- Support for Tunisia’s Digital Economy and Connectivity Goals Ericsson’s 5G deployment supports Tunisie Telecom’s strategic objective to enhance digital infrastructure, driving advancements in sectors such as smart cities, IoT, e-health, and e-commerce. This infrastructure boost aligns with wider national ambitions to foster economic growth and technological innovation.
- Implications for Competitive Advantage and Market Position The early adoption of 5G using advanced technologies like TDD on the 3.5 GHz spectrum positions Tunisie Telecom as a leader in Tunisia’s telecommunications market, enabling it to offer differentiated, high-performance services and attract new customer segments.
Ericsson reports that the high-speed 5G TDD sites have achieved download speeds of 2.1 Gbit/s in Tunisia. The 5G rollout includes 5G eMBB (enhanced Mobile Broadband) and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services for residential customers. Tahar Labidi, senior account manager at Ericsson, stated that the company worked with Tunisie Telecom to ensure a successful 5G launch despite a tight schedule and complex network architecture.
Mr. Samet, central director of Networks at Tunisie Telecom, mentioned that the company counts on Ericsson for the next stages of deployment, use case development, and monetization. The use of the 3.5 GHz frequency band allows for wider spectrum availability and faster connectivity in Tunisia. The 5G launch by Tunisie Telecom marks a significant milestone in the country's telecom evolution.
This is the first time the 3.5 GHz frequency band has been used in Tunisia for 5G deployment. The source of this information is IT Web Africa.
Data-and-cloud-computing technologies are being utilized by Tunisie Telecom to manage and optimize the 5G network, ensuring efficient resource utilization and seamless service delivery. The successful rollout of 5G technology, driven by the cooperation between Tunisie Telecom and technology service providers like Ericsson, places Tunisia at the forefront of data-and-cloud-computing-enabled telecommunications developments in North Africa.
