The most recent figures from the Nigerian Communications Commission showed that 60.3% of users in the country were still on 2G as of August 2023, about 8 years after network operators began rolling out 4G.
The Times reported that the data for the telecom sector also revealed that 10% of the more than 220 million customers were on 3G, a more advanced network introduced in Nigeria in 2007.
When compared to the 2G network, 3G offered much higher data transfer, operating at a speed of up to 2mbs, and more bandwidth. This allowed for the widespread adoption of video conversations.
According to the Commission, as of August, 28% of subscribers were still using 4G, which operators began rolling out in 2016, while 0.83% of subscribers were using the most recent technology, which was introduced in 2022.
Although the carriers claimed to have over 80% of the population covered by 4G, the slow rate of subscriber migration is attributed to equipment limitations.
Despite the introduction of 5G, the data from the NCC further supports the ongoing expenditures in legacy technologies.
In a recent interview following the company’s acquisition of a 3G licence, the Chief Technical Officer of MTN Nigeria, Mohammed Rufai, also brought up the issue of how many Nigerians are still using 2G and 3G.
“Just because we’re moving to 5G doesn’t mean we won’t still meet the demands of subscribers who need older technologies.
“As you are aware, in order to utilize a device, it must be 5G compatible. In Nigeria, we have a large number of subscribers with 2G and 3G devices, and we will continue to meet their needs.
“As a result, even while we are investing in new technology, we also need to preserve the older technologies that are used by those who utilize them as well as by those who lack the necessary hardware.”
Due to the fact that the spectrum, license, and network resources used for 3G can also be used on other technologies in the future, the investment is still usable for the higher technologies when the devices are ready, which is why we are still investing in and expanding on the older technologies.
Internet service providers like AT&T and T-Mobile were forced to discontinue 3G service earlier than planned in 2022 due to the global rollout of 5G.
More recently, Verizon and Vodafone informed their customers that they would be removing 3G-capable devices from their networks starting in December 2022 and December 2023, respectively.
The third generation of wireless mobile telephony, or 3G, replaced the 2G, 2.5G, GPRS, and 2.75G networks and was first made commercially available in mid-2001.
Currently, it has been replaced by the introduction of 4G, 5G, and most recently, a test of 6G, a major enhancement to the service, in China.
