Comsol 5G-Advanced Wholesale Network Set for Gauteng Launch

In Short

Comsol will launch a consumer 5G-Advanced network in Gauteng by the end of August 2026. It plans a national rollout through 2027 and 2028.

What Happened

Comsol says it is weeks away from switching on a consumer 5G-Advanced network in Gauteng. Comsol is positioning the build as a wholesale fixed wireless access network, meaning it sells capacity to internet service providers, and the ISPs sell packages to households.

The company said it started building the network about six months ago and already covers a significant portion of Gauteng. CEO Iain Stevenson said Gauteng should have “blanket coverage” by the end of 2026. After that, Comsol plans to expand into the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and major regional towns in 2027 and 2028.

Comsol said the new network is not only for affluent suburbs. It says it wants to reach underserved areas and also give connected suburbs another option besides fibre and existing mobile operators.

The rollout follows a multi-billion-rand investment round that included Wimsey Capital, linked to the Otto family, and Platform Investment Partners. Platform Investment Partners is chaired by Dimension Data cofounder Richard Came.

On the technology side, Comsol chose ZTE as its network partner after a request-for-proposal process. A turnkey deployment means ZTE handles the full build, including the mobile core, which is the network’s control layer, and the radios on towers.

Comsol said the launch will use its 3.7GHz spectrum from 3,740MHz to 3,800MHz, a contiguous 60MHz block dedicated to fixed wireless access. Stevenson also pointed to Comsol’s millimetre-wave holdings, including 336MHz of bandwidth, which can enable higher capacity over short distances.

Some ISPs have already soft-launched and are testing services. Afrihost has listed three Comsol-powered options, including an uncapped 25Mbps plan priced at R275, an uncapped 75Mbps plan, and a “Wireless Plus” package.

Why It Matters

South Africa’s ISP market is crowded, but most consumer broadband choice still clusters around fibre and a few mobile networks. A wholesale 5G-Advanced network could increase competition by letting ISPs set their own pricing, bundles, and target segments.

If Comsol reaches its target of about 2,000 base stations, the network could become a large new pipe for home internet. The key question will be whether coverage, installation, and consistent speeds match what South African households expect from fixed broadband.