Rain is aiming to end the broadband drought in more parts of the country, according to a MyBroadband report.
The network operator plans to expand its 5G for the home services to cover more of the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga in the coming years.
Bless the Rains…
A spokesperson, speaking to MyBroadband, said that the company already has the most extensive 5G network in the country. And of course they would say that. Although, it might not feel like that to some subscribers in the more densely populated areas.
“There are now 6 million households within 5G coverage, making rain currently the largest 5G network in the country,” the spokesperson said. That’s quite a large increase on the 500,000 or so households it covered when the company launched its 5G network in November 2019.
Initially, the network operator covered the Johannesburg and Tshwane areas. But, in the following years, has expanded to Durban, Cape Town, Potchefstroom, and other smaller towns across the country. The next phase of Rain’s rollout includes new towns in Gauteng and Mpumalanga, and along the Garden Route.
It should be noted that this is specifically for Rain’s 5G for the home packages, priced between R500/m and R1,000/m. When it comes to mobile network coverage, Rain only offers subscribers 4G coverage and speeds. If you want 5G signal on your mobile phone, you’ll have to look to the country’s other network operators, MTN or Vodacom.
Read More: Cell C is planning to bring 5G to its network
If the network isn’t congested
If you’re thinking about trying out Rain, we suggest you ask the people in your area how they’ve found the service. Even if you live in an area with coverage, it is worth finding out what kind of speed you can expect. Especially during peak times.
Rain’s website claims subscribers can expect up to 25Mbps with its unlimited home 5G basic package and up to 50Mbps with the standard package. The premium package doesn’t specify a max speed, but when Stuff spoke to a Rain sales representative, they said the speed was only limited by the theoretical limitations of the hardware. Sounds almost too good to be true.
Source: MyBroadband