Speak quietly but always carrier big stick
Global carrier BICS and MTN GlobalConnect have formed a pact that promises to put Africa’s mobile and digital services on a par with the rest of the world. Galvanising African productivity, through services like roaming, cloud comms and IoT connections, could be a huge multiplier for growth and raise prosperity among the many developing economies across a vast underperforming continent.
The mobile phone, according to the world Bank, was the single biggest factor in lifting the unbanked out pf poverty and the partners are hoping to achieve a similar galvanising effect on African GDP as a whole.
According to trade body GSMA there will be 340 million 5G connections in Africa by 2030. MTN has 289 million subscribers in 17 countries and is aiming to expand its fibre coverage to 135,000km in the next three years.
Half the world’s roaming
Since BICS carries half the world’s roaming traffic and recently set up the first intercontinental 5G Standalone service, a pact between the two could underpin the construction of a new level of international comms. MTN GlobalConnect was created in 2018 as an operating company in the MTN Group, tact as a Pan-African digital wholesale and infrastructure services company.
BIS said it solves the problems of today’s device-hungry consumer, such as the need for global mobile connectivity, seamless roaming, fraud prevention and authentication, global messaging and the in IoT. With its HQ in Brussels, BICS claims to have a strong presence in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Middle East.
“The connectivity relationship between MTN GlobalConnect and BICS will evolve to support the growth of digital services in Africa and allow our business to continue to invest in cutting edge technologies such as 5G,” said Frédéric Schepens, CEO of MTN GlobalConnect (pictured above right).
Connecting a continent’s communities will create huge opportunities, according to Matteo Gatta, CEO, BICS (pictured above, left), “Over the next few years, MTN GlobalConnect and its partners will actively contribute to the expansion of connectivity that will drive digital services across Africa.
“Through this partnership, people, communities, and enterprises from throughout the continent will have access to the power of communications to realise their full potential.”