4G or 4G LTE is the fastest network speed that is currently available in Uganda. Beyond the starter GPRS, EDGE, and 3G speeds, you get the opportune call and internet connection in a suitable location if you have a compatible device.
Airtel Uganda recently announced that it is now 100% 4G, something that has kept the public’s eye lids up to prove the matter. Even when we knew of the possibility of a fourth generation network before Airtel’s deal, a countrywide coverage is not something to take for granted.
The company officially announced its 4G LTE service in September 2017 to join MTN, Africell, Smile Communications, and Vodafone (now defunct) that had already started offering 4G LTE internet technology in the country.
Airtel states that they currently have up to 1,632 sites and over 3,900 kilometers of fiber across Uganda covering close to 96% of the population.
How fast should a 4G network be?
On a 4G connection, your download speeds should ideally run between 20Mbps and 150Mbps in a perfect location. This implies that you can download a 1 GB sized item in less than 30 seconds or load a YouTube video in under 2 seconds.
Additionally, your upload speeds should be about 8Mbps on average and 50Mbps in a typical 4G environment.
How fast is 4G in Uganda?
According to the Speedtest Global Index Report for January, Uganda has an average of 10.37 Mbps download speeds and 4.8 Mbps upload speeds for mobile internet users.
How fast is Airtel Uganda’s 4G?
Upon learning about Airtel Uganda’s 100% 4G countrywide coverage, we took a tour to test it through Northern Uganda and Eastern Uganda. It is on this tour that we made a number of observations.
We tested the speeds in Kampala, to make a comparison with those in other areas of the country. Enroute to the North, through Luwero, Nakasongola, Masindi, and Karuma towns, there was a significant fluctuation in the speeds offered.
In the trading centres and closely touched housing, the network was between 4G and 3G+. However, in the semi-arid Nakasongola and the deserted Masindi, the network was low to the last bar. The same applied for the other villages we went through that had no structures in place for livelihood.
However, the speed test in Lira town gave normal results, and proved that Airtel’s 4G network fully covers the area.
| LOCATION | DOWNLOAD (Mbps) | UPLOAD (Mbps) | LATENCY (ms) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kampala | 13.97 | 9.78 | 19 |
| Luweero | 8.74 | 7.06 | 47 |
| Lira | 14.64 | 7.72 | 24 |
Verdict
Airtel Uganda’s 4G network indeed covers the entire country, but it has some exceptions to it. The 4G zones are clearer and very visible in the densely populated locations, while the deserted areas feed on the regular EDGE and 3G networks.
