By Feima Sesay
Orange Sierra Leone (OSL), country’s leading telecoms company, has brought the 5G network to the telecoms market, the newest digital product at the moment.
The 5G is geared towards meeting customer’s demands for more internet speed is an improvement on 3G, 4G and 4G+ networks launched years back connecting over seven million (7, 000, 000) Sierra Leoneans.
It is a big breakthrough for OSL, a company that is taking a commanding lead in the digital world with the new product putting the company in a class of its own.
OSL’s move in bringing the new product to the market also follows the footprints of Orange companies in Botswana, Jordan and other Middle Eastern countries.
The new service is sure to enhance communication in such fields as education, health, manufacturing, agriculture and commerce among others.
The launching of the new service which took place last Thursday at the new City Auditorium in Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown was attended by top dignitaries from different walks of life including Chief Minister, David Moinina Sengeh.
In his address during the launching ceremony, OSL Chief Executive Officer, Sekou Ahmadu Bah made it clear that the new product spells a brighter future for digitalisation.
“5G trials holds immense importance as it can build the pathway to catalyse rapid technological advancement and economic development,” CEO Bah looks to the future with hope.
It is the company’s ambition, he says, to add value to the digital inclusion by democratising mobile broadband by making it affordable to all.
With the new product, OSL has positioned itself in the highest through the last seven years, a capable and willing investor with a strong ambition to increase mobile and internet penetration across the country.
“We are accelerating our technological revolution through the launch of 5G trial technology and fibre to home internet offer to improve productivity and connectivity through fast and sufficient internet,” CEO Bah sheds light on the company’s strive towards digitalisation.
He believes that fibre-to-home internet will provide individuals and businesses with high speed broadband experience at affordable prices for improved browsing, online experience, better performance of multi-media apps, enhanced voice and HD video calls.
The OSL CEO does not lose sight of government’s role in providing a comfortable environment where business thrives.
He singles out the Communications Ministry as well as the regulator, National Telecommunication Authority for championing the 5G trial lunch and pledging support to mobile network operators.
Making a speech at the launching, CEO Sekou David Drame of SONATEL, the parent company, sees the new product as one that broadens investment opportunities in Sierra Leone.
5G technology in the near future he said will enable massive investment in infrastructure and accelerated digital transformation.
He is sure that excellence of Orange’s network following investment in infrastructure will enable Orange to strengthen its leadership in terms of customer experience and digitalisation, a move that puts the company at the forefront of the digital world.
“Orange, a major player in Europe, Africa and the Middle East… is a major leader in fibre deployment in Europe with 46 million FTTH connections deployed by the Group at the end of 2022, representing almost a third of the connections on the continent,” CEO Drame commends the company for its strides.
In Africa, he assures, Orange will continue to deploy fixed and mobile networks to enable solid growth in its results and to support the continent’s economic and social development.
In digital technology, OSL stands tall owing to its various innovations it has brought to the telecoms industry since the company got a foothold in Sierra Leone in 2016.
The digital realities on the ground thrills the SONTATEL CEO saying he was delighted that OSL leads in setting the technology standard baseline for 5G by rolling out the cutting-edge pilot stage on the company’s network in line with the corporate vision of becoming the first in mobile internet service provider in Sierra Leone.
Although the company’s achievement is ground breaking, the SONATEL CEO rules out complacency as they aspire to improve on ditigalisation leaving no avenue unexplored.
“…We will continue to modernise fixed and mobile networks moving to very high speed broadband with the aim to continue to infrastructure through technology to capitalize on high performing networks,” he assured Sierra Leoneans.
As government braces up to implement the big five game changers, OSL’s technological milestone is in alignment with government’s vision to drive investment in technology, infrastructure and digitalisation. Launching of the new product was done by Chief Minister, David Moinina Sengeh.
