Having initially announced plans to launch the country’s first commercial 5G network at MWC 19 earlier in the year, local service provider Rain has seemingly kept its promise and now confirmed the debut of its 5G offering for South Africa.

The full details are still to be revealed, but the firm is aiming to offer uncapped internet access for R1 000 per month, with a select number of regions having availability at this stage.

To that end chief marketing officer Khaya Dlanga has explained that the firm will launch the service is select parts of Johannesburg and Tshwane, where the operator has a reported 250 towers capable of servicing roughly 500 000 households.

To deliver said 5G connectivity, Rain is leveraging its existing 4G infrastructure and offering non-standalone (NSA) coverage, deploying it over its licensed 3 600Mhz band.

The CMO adds that this offering will initially be available to Rain customers who signal their interest in the service, after which a Huawei-made 5G router will be set up in the household of the customer.

“The speed and capacity of the 5G network, together with the latest Wifi 6 technology in the router, will enable rain users to stream high-definition video to multiple devices simultaneously,” Dlanga added in a press statement.

Speaking of which the CMO notes that Rain has gotten up to 700 Mbps speeds in its testing under ideal conditions, but those customers signing up now can expect to see a far lower 200 Mbps speed from the 5G service.

One piece of information missing at this stage though is when the service will be made available to non-Rain customers. That said, the firm plans to increase its 5G coverage map to Cape Town, Durban and other major metros in 2020, although precise timeframes have not been mentioned.

To find out more about the service, or to register your interest, head here.