Vodacom claims African first with 254Mbit/s 5G uplink test

Vodacom South Africa claims to have achieved 5G uplink speeds of 254Mbit/s in a test of its 'SuperUpload' technology, which it describes as an African first. The technology enables a 5G device to use two separate channels simultaneously for uploading, automatically selecting the faster path as conditions change. While the speeds rival high-end fibre connections, Vodacom has not announced a commercial launch date, supported handsets, or disclosed the specific technical configuration used. The test signals a broader industry shift in South Africa toward prioritizing uplink performance, driven by cloud computing, videoconferencing, and AI workloads.