Telecom

MTN Group and ODC Partner to Develop Open RAN Solutions for Africa

MTN Group and ODC Partner to Develop Open RAN Solutions for Africa
Friday, 29 November 2024 17:22

Africa faces significant connectivity gaps, despite rapid mobile penetration. ORAN is especially valuable in emerging markets like Africa, where cost-efficient solutions are crucial for expanding rural coverage and modernizing networks to support growing data demand.

On November 28, MTN Group announced a partnership with the ORAN Development Company (ODC) based in Northern Virginia. This collaboration aims to develop and test innovative Open RAN (ORAN) solutions tailored to Africa’s diverse connectivity needs.

Amith Maharaj, MTN Group’s Network Design and Planning Executive, stated, “Open RAN represents a transformative approach to how we design and operate our infrastructure. Through our collaboration with ODC, we are unlocking new possibilities to expand our reach, improve service quality, and empower the communities we serve.”

Open RAN decouples hardware and software components in network architecture, enabling telecom operators to integrate components from different vendors. This flexibility significantly lowers operational and capital expenditures.

MTN began exploring Open RAN technology in 2019 with small-scale deployments to improve rural connectivity. By 2020, it partnered with Parallel Wireless, Vanu, and NuRAN to deploy 5,000 Open RAN sites across Africa and collaborated with the Telecom Infra Project (TIP) to upgrade its transport infrastructure, according to GSMA's Mobile Economy Sub-Saharan Africa 2021 report. By July 2021, 38 countries globally were engaged in Open RAN trials, deployments, or commitments, underscoring the technology’s growing adoption.

As part of the initiative, ODC and MTN will launch a joint lab to test ORAN solutions, focusing on enhancing network flexibility, scalability, and efficiency. The companies will conduct lab and field trials to ensure optimal performance and seamless integration into MTN’s existing infrastructure. Additionally, MTN will collaborate with ODC to optimize ORAN software using artificial intelligence to reduce operational costs.

The partnership also emphasizes research and development in next-generation technologies, including 6G and non-terrestrial communications, which will be integrated into ODC’s ORAN stack.

MTN’s strategy highlights the potential of Open RAN to modernize networks, with its extensive footprint and vendor collaborations set to drive regional adoption and scalability. This initiative represents a significant step in advancing resilient, adaptable network solutions to address Africa’s unique connectivity challenges while laying the foundation for future technologies.

Hikmatu Bilali

On the same topic
The announced reforms are pivotal in expanding affordable connectivity, building a future-ready digital workforce, and establishing Ghana as a frontrunner...
When fully operational, SEA-ME-WE-6 is expected to significantly improve internet connectivity and resilience across participating regions, enhance data...
As cybersecurity asserts itself as a pillar of digital sovereignty in West Africa, technology-free zones are taking on a strategic role in safeguarding...
As a new generation of African creators increasingly works to assert narratives rooted in their own cultures, the expansion strategies of global...
Most Read
01

• Global coffee consumption projected to hit a record 169.4 million 60-kg bags in 2025/2026, up from...

Coffee: Global Consumption Expected to Reach Record Level in 2025/2026
02

• Algeria grants commercial 5G licenses to top three telecom operators: Mobilis, Djezzy, and Ooredoo...

Algeria Awards Commercial 5G Licenses
03

• Investors seem to keep focusing on yields, which are high for the moment• New Leadership might see...

Afreximbank Bonds Retain Market Confidence Despite Moody’s Downgrade
04

• Kenyan President William Ruto signs strategic partnership with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to b...

William Ruto in London: New Agreement Aims to Double Kenya-UK Trade by 2030
05

• IFC teams up with AfDB and Nigeria’s EbonyLife to assess a new fund for African cinema• Sector cou...

IFC Plans Investment Fund to Help Grow African Film Industry
Enter your email to receive our newsletter

Ecofin Agency provides daily coverage of nine key African economic sectors: public management, finance, telecoms, agribusiness, mining, energy, transport, communication, and education.
It also designs and manages specialized media, both online and print, for African institutions and publishers.

SALES & ADVERTISING

Benjamin FLAUX
bf@agenceecofin.com 
Téls: +41 22 301 96 11 
Mob: +41 78 699 13 72
Média kit : Download

EDITORIAL
redaction@agenceecofin.com

More information
Team
Publisher

ECOFIN AGENCY

Mediamania Sarl
Rue du Léman, 6
1201 Geneva
Switzerland

 

Ecofin Agency is a sector-focused economic news agency, founded in December 2010. Its web platform was launched in June 2011. ©Mediamania.

 
 

Please publish modules in offcanvas position.