5G demonstration trials done with 4G spectrum –Minister

Fifth Generation Mobile Networks demonstration trials conducted in the country by MTN Nigeria in November 2019 were carried out with 4G spectrum.

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, disclosed this in an interview monitored on Channels Television.

The minister, who was reacting to claims that 5G technology was responsible for the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, insisted that 5G had yet to be deployed in the country.

The trials carried out by MTN in Abuja, Lagos and Calabar showcased the capabilities of 5G and its potential to drive economic growth and social inclusion.

Shedding further light on MTN’s 5G trials, Pantami explained that the exercise was actually carried out with 4G spectrum, as 5G was not available in Nigeria.

The Nigerian Communications Commission and telecommunications operators have also condemned claims that the 5G is causing the coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria and other parts of the world.

The operators under the aegis of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria and the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria described the claims as unfounded and baseless.

They called on all Nigerians to disregard the information that was trending on all social media platforms, saying it was false.

The Public Affairs Director at the NCC, Dr Henry Nkemadu, emphasised that there was no correlation between 5G technology and COVID-19 and described 5G as an advancement on 4G technology and had been designed to transform the world positively.

He said the trial for the 5G in the country, which lasted for three months, had been concluded and installations decommissioned.