Mobile operator MTN has expanded its rural telecommunications coverage across Africa through the use of open radio access networks (OpenRan) technology, bringing cost-effective connectivity to areas that were previously unconnected.
The company has already deployed over 200 commercial rural sites across its footprint, with the deployment of more than 5 000 sites in rural areas across its 21 operations projected in the foreseeable future.
“Our group technology team has been pioneering OpenRan, concluding field trials in Zambia in 2018 and deploying commercial sites from the beginning of 2019,” says MTN group president and CEO Rob Shuter.
MTN is focusing on creating viable new Ran solutions alongside the traditional deployments of network technology suppliers in an effort to accelerate rural expansion across its markets.
OpenRan technology enables operators to achieve cost-effective deployments, relying on off-the-shelf hardware and industry-standard-defined interfaces between the baseband processing unit and the radio units.
“MTN operations in Uganda and Guinea Conakry are already benefiting from this technology, as MTN has also partnered with the likes of Vanu, Parallel Wireless and NuRAN Wireless to deliver the technology,” Shuter points out, noting that the telecommunications company relies on an ecosystem of partners to build and maintain the sites, thereby enabling a full turnkey approach.