Mobile money makes the economy grow says study
Kenyan mobile network operator Safaricom has launched an upgrade to its existing 4G for homes and businesses fixed wireless access that could feasibly run at 100Mbps. The so-called 5G Wi-Fi to 35 active 5G sites in Nairobi and a handful of other locations so far. By March 2023 however, it plans to reach 200 sites across the country.
In August Mobile Europe reported that Nokia had created network slices on hybrid 4G-5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) network, in trials with African mobile operator Safaricom. The trials were piloted on its live commercial network and this was the first time that 4G/5G network slicing had been successfully achieved in Africa. The trial used a multi-vendor network environment and included a radio access network (RAN), transport and core. The trial also tested the effects of software upgrades to a range of Nokia’s products and services and the system passed.
The successful trial allowed Safaricom to support new types of enterprise network services, including fast lane internet access and application slicing. The telco can also create secure slices of FWA connections to enterprise locations, as well as to private or public application clouds.
Meanwhile, equipment maker Huawei has created new ‘RuralLink’ kit that aims to help mobile operators Telkom, Airtel and Safaricom send better signals to remote areas. As it was unveiled by Huawei at the Global Mobile Broadband Forum 2022 in Thailand this week, the president hinted that Africa would be a major target for the Chinese-state backed vendor. Huawei noted that despite progress over the years, close to 48% of the Kenyan population is not connected to a mobile communications network with approximately 32 million Kenyans lacking regular internet access.
The Huawei solution is to expand the benefits of digital connectivity to all, according to Aaron Jiang, President of Huawei Wireless Product Line. “Rural areas have a huge demand for mobile communications. [This product] is designed and built to help network operators bring mobile connectivity to rural areas and expand the benefits of digital connectivity to all,” said Jiang.
Huawei’s RuralLink system will include some new innovations such as solar panels for countries blessed with a reliable supply of sunlight. In those areas that telco budgets and fibre itself struggle to reach, Huawei is to introduce cost effective microwave fronthaul options.
Jiang further said that RuralLink will be suitable for projects such as humanitarian responses in areas facing natural disasters, mining and excavation as well as other geological works like archaeology. “Through site-level innovations, this solution enables green sites, site simplification, and easy evolution,” said Jiang, “This makes it possible for operators to build mobile networks that allow for positive business cycles in rural areas while connecting those who are still unconnected.”