Safaricom has launched its 4.5G network in some Kenyan cities, which are Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
4.5G network is also called 4G Plus or LTE Advanced. It provides faster and more reliable mobile data speeds compare to the regular 4G networks.
4.5G is the marketing term used for what is called LTE Advanced Pro. 4.5G which is faster, more reliable, better in user experience and very efficient in spectrum use. Average download speeds for LTE Advance should be 2x-3x that of regular 4G. 4.5G uses what is called Carrier Aggregation. This means, it uses multiple 4G LTE frequencies at the same time to provide better speeds. For instance, a 4.5G network can combine LTE 700, 800 and 2100 MHz bands together, just like combining about 5 lanes together for accomodation of more cars to move faster.
This technology has been available for about three years now.
About 150Mbps speed can be delivered on 4.5G networks. For example, Vodafone in Ireland, can deliver up to 225 Mbps on its network, which is 3x faster than the vanilla 4G. Another one is Ntel Nigeria launched theirs in 2016 which was the first 4.5G in the country, theoretically offering maximum speed of 230 Mbps.
As mentioned aforetime, Safaricom 4.5G network is available where it has its 4G coverage. Cities enjoying this network service includes Kisumu, Nairobi and Mombasa. The telecom operator also stated that parts of Kisii, Kitui, Kakamega, Kericho, Naivasha and Machakos are also enjoying the coverage.
If you are in any of these locations, to enjoy this service, you will need to get a 4.5G (4G Plus) compatible smartphone, tablet, dongle, mifi or any related device to connect.
However, if your device is not compatible with a 4G Plus network, it will automatical finds it way back to the ordinary 4G or 3G or 2G, depending on available network coverage.
