For communications professionals in north, west, east & central Africa NORTHERN AFRICAN
WIRELESSCOMMUNICATIONS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2020 Volume 19 Number 1
l Key industry players discuss smart cities in Africa l Connecting refugees within the continent l The ATU’s call to arms over Covid-19
Simon Fletcher, RealWireless CTO, offers advice to government and regulators
NAWC 2003 p1 (Cover).indd 1 16/04/2020 13:47 NEWS
4 SOUTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS January/February 2019
NAWC 2001 p36 (Hughes).indd 4 14/04/2020 17:53 NORTHERN AFRICAN CONTENTS
COMMUNICATIONSWIRELESS FEBRUARY/ 5 NEWS u MARCH 2020 Balloons to access Kenya’s airspace u Orange gives extra €3m to help Africa Volume 19 u Moroccan operators offer free internet Number 1 u MTN Benin gets AI managed services u Liquid ready to enter Eritrea, says CEO 5 NEWS u Hormuud Telecom becomes ISO certified u Operator’s plans frustrated by pandemic u OneWeb declares bankruptcy u Safaricom and Vodacom complete deal Real Wireless is the world’s leading independent wireless advisory rm. 14 WIRELESS BUSINESS Our network of experts includes Telecom Egypt boosts internet packages engineers, physicists, economists, 18 ROUNDTABLE security advisors, business strategists 18 ROUNDTABLE and deployment specialists. Our clients Four key industry players give us the latest on Africa’s ‘smart city’ journey bene t from a comprehensive portfolio 26 WIRELESS SOLUTIONS of specialists and custom tools that analyse radio network performance, 26 WIRELESS SOLUTIONS TE Connectivity extends M12 range with right- techno-economic impact and the angle connectors for PCBs and panels business model implications of wireless systems. With this unmatched resource 28 WIRELESS USERS we are able to advise the industry and Avanti is donating solar satellite broadband all user groups, spanning businesses, connectivity and laptops to refugee governments, mobile operators, settlements in east Africa regulators and technology companies on every aspect of wireless technology. 30 INDUSTRY VIEW Changing the landscape of the cellular We’ve applied this unique range of backhaul market in Africa and beyond technical and strategic expertise to a 32 WORLD NEWS wide range of wireless infrastructure 28 WIRELESS USERS u Dare1 lands in La Siesta, Djibouti projects – from major stadium u MWC to offer refunds for cancelled event connectivity to shopping malls and u Inmarsat launches new services in Saudi transport systems. We work with u Bladon sign deal to supply Alkan CIT operators, vendors and regulators u Paraguayan network to be completed on all forms of wireless connectivity, u Broadband growth predicted for Argentina advising governments and the u Spanish firm Sateliot partners with IEEC u Comtech acquires Gilat Satellite Networks European Union on the technical, 32 WORLD NEWS social and economic implications of u Cellnex buys out OMTEL communications policy. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Turn to page 7 where Simon Fletcher, Northern African Wireless Communications is a controlled circulation bi-monthly Real Wireless CTO, offers advice to magazine. Register now for your free subscription at www.kadiumpublishing.com Readers who do not qualify under the terms of control can purchase an annual subscription regulators and governments. at the cost of £110. For more information and general enquiries please contact Suzanne Thomas at [email protected] or call +44 (0) 1932 886 537. www.real-wireless.com
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NAWC 2003 p3 (Contents).indd 3 16/04/2020 12:06 NEWS
4 SOUTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS January/February 2019
NAWC 2003 p4 (Eshailsat).indd 4 14/04/2020 17:54 NEWS Balloons to access Kenya’s airspace and enhance 4G network coverage Kenya’s Telkom and partner Google Loon have received permission from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority to allow balloons to access airspace and enhance 4G network coverage across the country. The approval will facilitate com- munication and satellite internet connectivity in remote areas of the country and enable Kenyans in these localities to retain and enhance remote access to their offices and enterprises, while ensur- ing universal 4G data coverage is available throughout the country. According to the release, “this intervention will enable Kenya to retain her competitive advantage in ICT and innovation in the midst of the current crisis while at the same time laying foundations for greater expansion once the current health challenge is contained. The devel- opment will also enable Telkom Kenya and Google Loon to start the commercial rollout of a 4G data network in our country. These two companies have been testing this service for the last two years”. The balloons, which will be launched in the US and reach Kenya in weeks, will undergo network integration The balloons, which will be procedures to provide the country with the needed connectivity in the short term launched in the US and reach Kenya in weeks, will undergo network in- fordable internet services. I know the coronavirus, there is more reliance ble operations that will continue to tegration procedures to provide the gesture by Google Loon and Telkom to on internet connectivity to carry out serve Kenyans for the long-term”. country with the needed connectivi- offer their 4G to support our efforts commercial activities from homes, He added: “Like many businesses ty in the short term. in surveillance and management thus these technologies come in big and small, Loon’s operations “Once inaugurated, this service will of coronavirus infections and this handy in a time such as this. have seen some impacts as a result extend Telkom Kenya’s 4G network to will go a long way to containing the Alastair Westgarth, the chief of the Covid-19 pandemic. With the areas that are not covered by any of present health challenge.” executive officer (CEO) at Google groundwork we have already laid in our mobile network providers,” the With government enforcing a Loon said his team is working as Kenya, however, we’re confident that document said. “Therefore, all Ken- curfew on movement and non- fast as it can to deploy the Loon we can address these challenges yans, wherever they are in the country, essential businesses and services service in Kenya “to help in the and begin providing meaningful ser- will enjoy access to high speed and af- as a move to mitigate the spread of short-term and establish sustaina- vice to Kenyans in the near future.” Orange gives extra €3m to help Africa
Orange has allocated an additional ange has a large presence will receive the Orange Foundation will also the 40 FabLabs involved in this €3m to the Orange Foundation, a fund protective equipment (masks, hand support an initiative to use digital program to help them buy the to support a variety of healthcare and sanitizer, gloves, glasses, overalls, tools to manufacture reusable raw materials necessary for the preventive initiatives and to provide etc.) as well as a specific allocation protective visors for healthcare staff production of 20,000 certified visors. essential supplies in all countries in for sourcing medical equipment to in hospitals. This initiative was first Production has started in France and which the operator is present. support NGOs and local health au- launched by the six Solidarity FabLabs Tunisia and the visors are distributed The fund supplements thorities in their crisis actions. in Tunisia, in partnership with the in local hospital structures. contributions of €5m already A total fund of €2.5m will be health ministry, in order to meet high The entire Orange Group, present committed by Orange Foundations made available for the Africa-Middle demand by local health services. in 26 countries, has mobilized itself in countries in Europe and the East region, in addition to the €3m The initiative is now being extended in order to contribute in the best Africa and Middle East region. already committed by the countries. to other countries. Supplementary possible way to efforts to manage In Africa, each country in which Or- Through its Solidarity FabLabs1, financial assistance will be provided this global health crisis.
February/March 2020 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS 5
NAWC 2003 p5-11 (News).indd 5 16/04/2020 16:01 NEWS Moroccan telecom operators offer free internet to students Morocco’s telecom operators have that Inwi, Orange, and Maroc The ministry replaced in- the education ministry also offered the country’s students free Telecom will afford free internet person lessons and classes with broadcasts classes for primary, internet access to websites hosting access to all online learning portals. remote educational activities, secondary and high school on the online classes amid the coronavirus- The move seeks to ensure the allowing students to stay at home Arrabia television channel. induced school suspensions. continuity of the pedagogic approach while continuing their studies. At the time of going to press, A joint press release issued aiming to provide all students with the In addition, the government Morocco confirmed 109 cases of on March 22 by the Ministries of opportunity to benefit from remote launched the “Tilmid Tice” website coronavirus, including three deaths Education and Trade announced learning in the best conditions. to facilitate remote classes and and three recoveries. MTN Benin Liquid ready to enter Eritrea, says CEO
gets AI Liquid Telecom announced plans to enter the telecom market in Eritrea, via a Facebook post by managed chief executive officer (CEO) Strive Masiyiwa, who heads parent services company Econet Global. In the Digital 2020 report, We MTN Benin has expanded its existing Are Social and Hootsuite revealed agreement with Swedish giant that mobile penetration in this Ericsson to include network services country is only 20%. That means based around analytics, artificial out of the 3.52 million inhabitants, intelligence (AI) and automation. only 711,000 people have access The operator already uses managed to mobile service. Internet charging systems from Ericsson and penetration rate is just 8.3%. has now asked the vendor for addition- Despite several ongoing appeals al network operations centre services from the World Bank for the and field services focused on core, need to liberalise the national Eritrea is currently, after Ethiopia, the last telecoms market in Africa radio and transmission technology. telecom sector, in view of the operated solely by the public incumbent company EriTel Improved efficiencies from more definite impact on socio-economic intelligent, data-drive operations will development, the Eritrean Ethiopia, the last telecoms market Corporation (EriTel). allow the operator to manage its government has been slow to open in Africa operated solely by the Liquid Telecom officially network more proactively via predic- the market to competition. public incumbent company, Eritrea launched its broadband service in tive operations, improving customer Eritrea is currently, after Telecommunications Services Juba, South Sudan, February 20. experience as well as network per- formance and quality of service. “Network managed operations play a significant role in improving MTN Hormuud Telecom becomes first private customers’ satisfaction and enhanc- ing customer experience as well as firm in Somalia to be ISO certified enabling revenue growth and cost effi- ciency,” Stephen Blewett, CEO of MTN Hormuud Telecom has become the Yusuf chairman and chief execu- that by reaching new customers, Benin, said. “We expect advanced first private corporation in Somalia tive officer (CEO). “We are the first “Hormuud is guided by its mission technologies like AI, automation and to secure the ISO 9001:2015 certi- Somali corporate entity to achieve to widen access to finance for the analytics to further accelerate opera- fication, an international standard this accolade. This certification is most marginalised and vulnerable tional transformation through this new that acknowledges Hormuud’s evidence of our natural progress Somali communities”. managed services partnership.” products meet all the relevant regu- as a telecommunications leader Nicolas Blixell, vice president latory requirements. in Somalia and we will continue to Middle East and Africa at Ericsson Founded in 2002, Hormuud is the provide exemplary products to our Ahmed Yusuf, added: “We are strengthening our leading firm by market share in So- customers, widening financial inclu- chairman long-term partnership with MTN Be- malia with over 12,000 shareholders sion throughout our country.” and CEO at nin and we look forward to leverag- and this award sees it join several Yusuf said Hormuud would Hormuud said ing the skills and know-how we have other certified east African firms. continue to expand its service the company developed by managing networks “I am delighted that Hormuud offerings in order to accelerate ICT is “delighted” around the world. We believe this have achieved this ISO 9001:2015 driven financial inclusion across with the ISO contract will enable MTN to improve certification as an effective quality Somalia through its EVC Plus ISO 9001:2015 its focus on its core business.” management system,” said Ahmed mobile money platform. He added certification
6 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS February/March 2020
NAWC 2003 p5-11 (News).indd 6 15/04/2020 16:18 EXPERT AND INDEPENDENT ADVICE FOR GOVERNMENTS AND REGULATORS Simon Fletcher, Real Wireless CTO
s the connectivity demands of to reuse of spectrum and much more – a business, industry and individuals vast range of issues, requiring both technical Aramps up, so must government and knowledge and a global perspective. regulatory policy evolve. Spectrum demand, Which is what Real Wireless can bring to end user expectations and the transition to government and regulatory bodies of all sizes 5G are all presenting a new set of challenges; as they work through the immediate wireless most of which weren’t even considered a few needs of their cities, countries or regions years ago. Real Wireless provides informed, and the connectivity needs of the very near independent, up-to-date expert knowledge to future. Our experts offer genuine insights enable regulators and governments not only into all technology options involved and all make decisions but to do so quickly, fairly associated concerns – from infrastructure future license terms, network slicing, the and effectively. costs to deployment costs, from device value of spectrum, effective competition and Today’s regulatory challenges require a availability to spectrum management, from new digital business models is essential to clear understanding of the changing wireless international spectrum harmonisation to understanding the many new ways in which landscape and the ability to make quick international regulatory mechanisms. We wireless can help government to address decisions. We offer both. have a strong understanding – technical social and economic needs. Questions and challenges facing regulators and, of course, regulatory – of spectrum Is free Wi-Fi across key public areas of include how to manage spectrum in a way policy and the socio-economic implications a major city viable? What are the policy that balances the often conflicting pressures of national and regional communications implications of extending 4G coverage? How from various sectors that want to use it – programmes, and have advised regulators can spectrum allocation meet the essential from mobile to satellite and fixed wireless to and governments worldwide. needs of a nation or region’s emergency broadcasting; how do you ensure that there is Decisions have to be made – and Real and public safety users? How critical a a competitive landscape that can benefit all Wireless can assist in making those role will local councils play in developing end users? Taking into account likely system decisions. We can offer the global perspective and delivering the densification of digital deployment costs, and balancing a specific of experts that have contributed to infrastructure? How should ‘smart cities’ region’s needs with international spectrum international radio conferences and chaired happen? How will major mergers between deployment plans is a complex equation. high-level committees as well as experts operators affect future infrastructure and Regulators – local, regional, national and who have planned, costed and rolled out spectrum requirements? international – are all required to answer real networks from the early days of cellular These are questions we have researched; these questions and more. How, and even if, to 4G and the dawn of 5G. We know how that we continue to research and have been to create the national frameworks for network mechanisms work – both technological and instrumental in answering on behalf of and spectrum sharing? How to deliver a regulatory – and we know how to get results. authorities at local, regional, national and national digital strategy at a municipal level. At all levels of government there is a international level. How to balance the spectrum needs of the continuing need to understand what social The list of those authorities is a long wireless industry and policy issues associated and economic benefits wireless technologies one, taking in regional UK councils, the with the development and growth of private such as Wi-Fi and LTE can offer, together UK Spectrum Policy Forum, the Scottish networks deployments? with another requirement – to develop an Government, Ofcom, the National Regulators can’t take years deciding; the awareness of how and at what cost these Infrastructure Commission, the Austrian slower the decision-making process the benefits can be realised. With 5G on the Regulator and the European Union among more delay will impact the time to market horizon, and legacy technologies maturing others. of technologies and the development of and coming to end of life at different times And there will be many more questions infrastructure that could boost economic in different markets these needs are sure to as 5G offers both the potential for vastly growth. Understanding how to drive the grow. improved public services and the challenge of development of robust and economically Wireless strategy is not just a concern for making them work. We will continue to act as sustainable connectivity requires the ability to consumers or industry. It matters more than a key advisor to government and regulators take into account a number of factors from ever to government. Grasping the concepts on all these issues. radio propagation, in-building penetration, and implications of capacity management, We will also question – and occasionally disagree with – policymakers. We are proud Transport Residential Education Enterprise Public venues Secure building Wide area macro of our status as an independent, expert voice at a time of conflicting demands on government strategy and resources and believe such expertise has never been more necessary than it is today.
Wireless OFFICES The processes and bespoke tools that Real backhaul RAILWAY H STATION O S Wireless has developed aid us in helping HOTEL P STADIUM I RESTAURANT T regulators, mobile operators, neutral hosts, CAFE UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE A L HOME road & rail operators, local authorities and landowners to understand better what the deployment options are to deliver mobile Key Fixed/fibre backhaul Small cells external DAS voice and data services to consumers –
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SAWC 2002 p12.indd 4 12/03/2020 12:23 NEWS Tower operator’s expansion plans frustrated by pandemic Telecom tower manager Helios Towers ence calls, but for real mergers and Helios is said is currently sitting on US$350m acquisitions to happen, you need to believe that from its October 2019 fundraising things like field investigations [...] It the current on the London Stock Exchange, but will be slower for a few months, but environment cannot invest it on a planned African the world will have to return to nor- does not favour expansion because of the coronavirus mal at some point, “said Pandya. an acquisition pandemic which is currently Helios, which is present in operation hampering global economies. several markets on the continent, According to Bloomberg, Kash notably Nigeria, Tanzania and Pandya, the chief executive officer South Africa, has plans to enter of Helios Towers, revealed that Ethiopia. It also aims to buy 2,500 the current environment does not towers over the next five years weather the current health crisis. difficult moments crossed in some favour acquisition operations. “It’s while building a similar number. He also said that he gained some of our markets before, as in the not that the talks are stalled, be- Pandya said he wanted to reassure experience in this kind of situation Democratic Republic of Congo cause you can always have confer- people about the ability of society to with regard to “comparable and with the Ebola epidemic”. OneWeb Cameroon telecom watchdog asks declares operators to lower prices
Cameroon’s telecom regulator has 2020, by Philémon Zo’o Zame, However, to-date, the costs of bankruptcy initiated negotiations with operators director-general of ART. phone calls and the internet are still so that they can lower the prices of MTN and Orange have already the same. Operators do, however, OneWeb, the US firm that various services offered, because of announced the partial reduction offer a wide range of promotional specialises in providing internet via the coronavirus health crisis. The and even suppression of fees on offers and other packages, which satellite, has filed for bankruptcy. watchdog made the announcement financial transactions conducted via provide customers with several In a press release issued on in a release signed on March 30, their mobile money platforms. choices making them spend less. March 27, 2020, the company said it was forced to do so because it was unable to find sufficient funding to continue its investments. UNHCR concerned about Ethiopia’s An agreement for new funding was almost signed, but the advent connectivity problems of the coronavirus and the financial impact the disease had on the The Office of the United Nations market had a negative impact. High Commissioner for Human OneWeb launched the Rwandan sat- Rights (UNHCR) has voiced its ellite “Icyerekezo” in February 2019 and concern about ongoing interruption had wanted to provide telecom services of internet and telephone lines in in several African countries, notably Ethiopia’s Oromo region during Angola and even Nigeria, where it had the Covid-19 crisis. already obtained an operating licence. It has urged the government to Instead, OneWeb is now looking for put an end to this blockage which a buyer able to continue this ambitious has persisted since early January project of a constellation of nearly 2020 in the areas of Kellem 600 telecom satellites in low orbit Wellega, Oromia Occidental, Wellega around the earth to provide internet to Ouest and Horo Gudru Wellega. This new service will use text messaging to provide information before populations living in areas not covered. “In the midst of the Covid-19 cri- and during major natural disasters, improving preparedness and response Exactly one-year-ago, OneWeb sis, factual and relevant information successfully raised US$1.25bn from about the disease and its spread The drag the current Internet the losses recorded by Ethiopia after SoftBank, Grupo Salinas, Qualcomm must reach everyone, without excep- blockage poses on the response to 346 days of interruption of services Technologies and the government of tion,” the UNHCR said. “It is also the Covid-19 aside, the situation in at US$56.8m. As of March 30, Rwanda. This sum, which brought essential that information about the the Oromo region is also likely to 2020, the current internet outage in the funds raised by the company to disease is readily available in under- result in financial losses. Last year, several areas of the Oromo region US$3.4 billion, was intended to accel- standable formats and languages, in a study on the financial losses has continued for over 80 days. erate the development of its global sat- and that the information is tailored caused by the restriction of Internet The Ethiopian government has ellite communication network by 2021. to people with specific needs.” access, TOP10VPN had estimated continued to defend its position.
8 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS February/March 2020
NAWC 2003 p5-11 (News).indd 8 16/04/2020 16:02 NEWS Côte d’Ivoire to increase MTN Uganda makes mobile banking usage Covid-19 The government of Côte d’Ivoire wants to increase the usage of mobile donation banking in the west African nation by allowing interoperability between MTN, the largest telecom operator different digital financial services. in Uganda, has donated USh500m According to local reports, the towards the effort to fight against government anticipates a boost Covid-19 in the country. to mobile money subscribers and Chairman Charles Mbire revealed transaction volumes if customers that USh300m will be channelled of different providers are able to through the Red Cross and transfer money between platforms. USh200m via National Water and The government will also open up Sewage Corporation, as part of the the base level USSD (unstructured costs for water distribution during supplementary service data) the lockdown period. standard to companies other than Mbire said that MTN stands with mobile operators, which have Ugandans during these trying times previously held an effective monopoly and is committed to supporting on the technology. It is hoped that government efforts to curb the this move will result in more players spread of the disease. entering the financial services space. In addition, the operator has zero- In addition to encouraging rated 18 educational websites to money transfers between help pupils and students learn from consumers, the government wants According to local reports, the government anticipates a boost to mobile home during the lockdown. MTN to expand digital access to its money subscribers and transaction volumes if customers of different Uganda has also decided to offer own services, with the object of providers are able to transfer money between platforms free access to websites as a way of allowing citizens to access 80% of helping learners study from home. its services via mobile devices. regional strategy from the Central that around 44% of the population The company, known for The push towards financial Bank of West African States. The do not – or cannot – currently embracing and promoting vital inclusion forms part of a broader Côte d’Ivoire’s government believes access mobile financial services. technological innovations hopes to encourage more Ugandans to consider online learning options even after the defeat of the Safaricom and Vodacom complete deal pandemic. MTN Uganda chief executive officer (CEO) applauded Kenya’s Safaricom and South Africa’s be worth about US$13m. more than a decade ago, has president Kaguta Museveni and his Vodacom have completed the “The transaction... will acceler- evolved from a basic mobile money government for the Swift response acquisition of popular mobile money ate M-Pesa’s growth in Africa by transfer application into a fully- they have given so far in the platform M-Pesa from Britain’s giving both Vodacom and Safa- fledged financial service platform, preventive fight against coronavirus. Vodafone for an undisclosed sum. ricom full control of the M-Pesa offering loans and savings in “MTN is also complementing A deal was first announced in brand, product development and partnership with local banks, plus government’s sanitisation drive by 2019 and completed via a newly- support services as well as the merchant payment services. availing USh500m in cash and free created joint venture, but last year opportunity to expand M-Pesa into It has grown to become the largest media channel space (radio, TV, Safaricom’s then chief executive new African markets,” the compa- payments platform in Africa, with 40 social media, SMS and call centre Bob Collymore, who passed away nies said in a statement. million users and processes over a IVR platform) to promote the last year, said the agreement could M-Pesa, launched in Kenya billion transactions every month. Ministry of Health’s sanitisation messages,” he said. MTN Uganda has also slashed tariffs on its mobile money trans- Swiss firm to deploy telecom actions for P2P (person-to-person). Vanhelleputte said the decision was monitoring and control system in Niger based on the fact the virus can be transmitted via banknotes. Uganda Swiss firm MGI Communications which is intended to be reliable and CFA francs (US$ 23.5 million) was one of very few countries in has been retained by the Nigerien secure and whose implementation excluding taxes. The lead time is Africa to register a case of a person government to set up a surveillance is financed by the National Agency five years, according to the release. testing positive for coronavirus at and control system for telecoms for the Information Society (ANSI) According to a government the time Northern African Wireless services in the country. and the Regulatory Authority for press release, this public service Communications went to press. It is a system for monitoring electronic communications and was awarded to MGI “by direct MTN Uganda has witnessed expo- and controlling telecom services, post office (ARCEP), up to 13.5bn agreement without competition”. nential growth over the years.
February/March 2020 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS 9
NAWC 2003 p5-11 (News).indd 9 16/04/2020 16:02 NEWS CSS, Forsway Nigeria rubbishes continue to invest in 5G-coronavirus link The Nigeria Communications west Africa Commission (NCC) director of public affairs said there is no link between CSS, a west African communications coronavirus, after conspiracy theories services provider and Forsway have blaming 5G towers for the pandemic progressed to the next phase of their tore through the internet. partnership in Mauritania to deliver Henry Nkemadu rubbished affordable broadband in the region. the claims and instead said 5G Leaning on CSS’ local expertise, technology will transform the world Arabsat’s Xtend Africa managed by connecting everything with service and Forsway’s satellite everyone. “This will create millions broadband extension, the partners of jobs; it will add billions of dollars joined forces to provide emerging to the economy and can solve some economies across the continent of our problems such as insecurity The telecom regulator, along with ALTON, wanted to refute the with access to affordable satellite and improve governance and the information that had appeared on social networks and which maintained internet services, as well as to help efficiency of society,” he added. that 5G is at the origin of the spread Covid-19 in Nigeria and worldwide build a productive economy, busi- The telecom regulator, along with ness, education and provide access the Association of Licensed Telecom- coronavirus pandemic. The virus president, has not deliberated nor to health services and information. munications Operators of Nigeria (AL- is also spreading in places without published a spectrum of bulk fre- “We have been trialing the Xtend TON), wanted to refute the information 5G networks like Nigeria”. quencies for the deployment of 5G, Africa managed service from that had appeared for several days on Reacting to information that has no license has been issued for the Arabsat/Forsway during a first social networks and which maintained aroused fear in the country and deployment of 5G in the country”. assessment phase,” said CSS’ CEO that 5G is at the origin of the spread suspicion directed against telecom Regarding 5G, the minister and founder Houssein Cherif. “The Covid-19 in Nigeria and worldwide. operators, Issa Ibrahim Pantami, also explained that only MTN has results, boosting poorly perform- Gbenga Adebayo, the president the minister of communications already carried out 5G tests in the ing mobile and VSAT links in an of ALTON, said in turn “that there and digital economy, said that “the Nigerian cities of Abuja, Lagos and affordable and dynamic way, are is not an ounce of truth that 5G National Frequency Management Calabar and the exercise was in fact very promising. Therefore, despite technology is the cause of the Council (NFMC ), of which I am the carried out with the 4G spectrum. the uncertain times we live in, we committed to investing in additional equipment and expand our west Afri- can service offering. Now, more than Cape Verde boss calls for extra capacity ever, affordable broadband can make a difference in our local markets.” Cabo Verde Telecom has requested supplier, TATA Communications. The president added that the Tobias Forsell, CEO of Fors- 10G of capacity from Altice At a press conference in Praia, loss of the internet in the country way, added: “We have teamed Portugal to help restore the Santiago island, José Luís Livramento, happened in late January and that up with Arabsat who, using our country’s internet, which has been began by clarifying that internet cuts since then TATA has been trying to Xtend satellite extension platform unstable since late January due to in the country are not a problem for repair the cable to restore the service. and BADR-7, provide managed, failures at its international provider. the operator, but for TATA. “In view of this, we were not pan-African broadband services to The president of the state-run op- “Unfortunately, TATA (internet only in this dependency. We tried local and regional communications erator said the company asked Altice service provider) had a cut in this to solve it in other ways and we are service providers like CSS. With Portugal for 10 gigs of capacity to re- Lisbon-Madrid route and no longer counting on Altice to give us about people restricted in their mobili- store the internet in the country, un- had access to the internet from 10 gigs of capacity to restore the ty, affordable broadband is more stable due to failures of international Lisbon”, said Livramento. service, ” he said. critical than ever. With over 3 billion people lacking reliable internet access, Forsway is working hard to do our part in making connectivity MTN’s instant messaging app attracts accessible to all.” Mauritania currently has three two million users in first year operators, the original monopoly, Mauritel (now owned by Maroc Ayoba is a communications app across these markets including isiZulu, before the end of the year. He said Telecom), Mattel (owned by Tunisie localised for African and Middle East isiXhosa, Pidgin, Yoruba, Swahili, that through the app, MTN wants to Telecom) and Chinguitel. consumer needs, under an independ- Hausa, French and English. create an ecosystem for users, “a The nation only has around ent Over the Top (OTT) brand with Speaking at the group’s annual super-app for Africa”. 1000 DSL subscribers and 3000 tailored features for MTN customers. results presentation, outgoing MTN He said that the next step would be internet subscribers in total, out It has been integrated into 12 MTN group president and chief executive the introduction of money transfers, of a population of 2.5 million, markets including South Africa, and officer, Rob Shuter said that the with users being able to make and according to most recent figures. supports many local languages spoken group aims to have 16 million users receive payments via Mobile Money.
10 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS February/March 2020
NAWC 2003 p5-11 (News).indd 10 15/04/2020 16:19 NEWS
Martin Jarrold, chief of international EllaLink Talking satellite programme development, GVF cable set for Terminal installation, consensus-based framework to improve which I shall return the efficiency of satellite operators’ below), as well as December qualification & terminals type-approval procedures. To providing an exam- testing in the field achieve this objective, the GVF Mutual ple of a further facet to EllaLink’s Europe-South Recognition Arrangement Working Group conducting on-site antenna/ America cable project As I write this column, more than 120 of created procedures – now internationally Earth station/terminal verification, and is expected to go operational in the world’s nations are experiencing the recognised – defining a set of standard also bringing an additional technique, or December, according to CEO Philippe spread of the Coronavirus. To state the tests that an antenna or Earth station/ tool, for ensuring the accuracy of instal- Dumont. Dumont said the cable, obvious, this public health emergency is terminal manufacturer should perform in lations – using Unmanned Aerial Systems which is currently under construction impacting on all facets of life as well, of order to apply for type approval from any (UAS) or drones. The technology offers in Calais, France, will see its course, as very sadly causing so many satellite operator. Use of this procedure new ways to characterise the performance maritime roll-out starting in July. The deaths. There is evident a certain under- not only improves the quality and com- of ground terminals that have not been 10,000km cable will connect Brazil lying irony in the consequent cancellation pleteness of test data but helps reduce available to industry before, with accurate and Portugal, with stretches linking or postponement of trade events in the the time and cost required to bring new performance data being acquired for VSAT to Cape Verde. According to Dumont, field of telecommunications. In February, ground-segment technology to the mar- terminals in their deployed locations. several other branches will be built MWC 2020 (Barcelona, Spain) – the Mobile ket, thus advancing the competitiveness Satellite operators have acknowledged the and later added to the system, World Congress – was cancelled. In March, and enhancing the reliability of satellite innovation as a valuable alternative to the including one to Mauritania. CABSAT 2020 (Dubai, United Arab Emir- communications services – reducing the traditional methods of testing. ates) – the Middle East & Africa’s leading factors that cause interference to primary Moreover, and returning to the ongo- event for content creation, production and adjacent satellite services. ing GVF programme to which I referred & broadcast and satellite & distribution, The GVF test procedures – in qual- above, the European Space Agency has MTN Ghana and within which was to be embedded ifying the performance of antennas/ recognised the potential value of this the GVF SATEXPO Summit 2020 – was Earth stations/terminals leading to technology and awarded QuadSAT a postponed, now to take place at the end formal type approval by a satellite contract to continue development and reviews of October. If space permitted, this list operator – enables manufacturers to validation of the technology – with would be much longer. supply antennas/Earth station/terminal support from GVF as a contract partner, services Despite all that telecommunications equipment without the need for testing and with reference to SOMAP. technologies (satellite, fixed and mobile each terminal before it is deployed. The UAS or drone equipment (actually MTN Ghana announced terrestrial/wireless, cable/fibre) have Working within this framework a a quadcopter) can easily be transported the temporary review of its facilitated in the creation of platforms to group of satellite operators – AsiaSat, to any test antenna location where service centre operations on April 2, bring people together through exchange Eutelsat, Inmarsat, Intelsat and SES – have it functions as a portable test range 2020. The objective of the company of data, over social media, via voice and collaborated to develop updated guidance providing high-precision antenna pattern through this operation is to protect video connectivity – therefore without the to antenna manufacturers regarding measurements. It can be flown freely its employees from the coronavirus necessity of physical travel and face-to-face satellite operator expectations for new around the antenna under test at various and help curb the spread of the contact – the organisations that continue products, and how to demonstrate far field distances and at various test disease. While some physical to deliver innovative advances on such compliance with the Satellite Operator angles, providing a flexible, cost-efficient branches of the company are closed solutions still attach a lot of significance Minimum Antenna Performance specifica- method to verify antenna performance until further notice, the operator to the traction to be achieved through tion requirements (SOMAP), which came globally. This system allows for testing said their activities will switch to personal interaction in exhibition halls and into force in September 2019. and verification of already operational digital to continue to meet the needs dialogue in conference rooms. My various SOMAP was started to improve the antennas, without interrupting their of consumers in the meantime. work travels are testament to this. Quality of Service (QoS) worldwide for services. The SOMAP recommendations The subject of conference calling or the industry and to minimise interfer- will be used to compare performance video conferencing, particularly over ence. Quality products, compliant with data acquired by drone measurements Internet Protocol – which has stimulated satellite operator specifications, provide with comparable test data acquired from Sub-Sahara is development of low-cost applications for manufacturers with a valuable tool to a traditional far-field outdoor test range. multi-location and remote site personnel differentiate their products. It does not The ongoing GVF initiative to which MoMo hotbed online gatherings – obviously points up replace the formal type approval proce- I referred above is new. The example the role of satellite solutions as those dures for each of the satellite operators, I cited of a start-up company is just Sub-Saharan Africa best suited to serve coverage of remote but rather establishes minimum perfor- one of many new entrepreneur-driven remains the region of areas, both in terms of dedicated satellite mance that each of the operators expect commercial enterprises, and academic the world where mobile money is network links, and in terms of the contri- when deploying equipment which has spin-offs, comprising what is often called the most dynamic. According to bution of satellite to facilitating mobile/ not been formally type approved. Space 2.0. To meet the needs of these GSMA, 2019 saw the region record cellular networks through backhaul. Whilst the CABSAT-embedded GVF enterprises GVF has introduced a new 23.8 billion transactions out of Satellite solutions serve everywhere, SATEXPO Summit has been postponed, the Membership grouping, extending the the 37.1 billion worldwide. That is but, by definition, implicit in ubiquity SATELLITE 2020 show in Washington DC did benefits of membership to such start-ups 64.15% of the volume of global and coverage of the remote is the need go ahead, albeit with substantially reduced on especially favourable terms. Compa- transactions, up 19.7%. Sub- for some Earth stations/terminals – the attendance and a cut-short agenda as nies meeting the eligibility requirements Saharan Africa has also dominated ground segment – to be equally isolated a result of Coronavirus concerns. GVF for “NewSpace Membership” will be the global mobile money market and remote. This then introduces the re- member QuadSAT was present at SATELLITE provided with Associate Membership and in terms of the financial value of lated questions of the installation of type 2020, located in the exhibition’s ‘Start-Up’ its benefits, at nil cost, for a period of one transactions. The region recorded approved terminal equipment/antennas. Pavilion. I mention QuadSAT specifically be- year provided there is a commitment to US$456.3bn in money sent, A long-term core feature of GVF’s cause they serve to illustrate two currently convert to paying the Associate Member- received or spent. mission has been the development of a ongoing GVF initiatives/programmes (to ship fee afterwards.
February/March 2020 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS 11
NAWC 2003 p5-11 (News).indd 11 16/04/2020 16:02 NEWS REVIEW
ATU’s call to arms Telecom regulators in Africa are being urged to come together to respond to the overwhelming spread of coronavirus across the continent. The unprecedented call to arms has been made by the African Telecommunications Union
frican Telecommunications Union calls implementing the following recommendations/ messaging and promote short message for harmonised action by telecommu- guidelines to fight COVID-19 pandemic: service (SMS) as an alternative to telephony nications regulators and operators in communications during this period. Emergency AAfrica to combat coronavirus pandemic. 1. Activation of the common alerting protocol (CAP) agencies – such as police, ministries of health Regulators should implement the common alert- Regulators should implement the common and hospitals should adequately size their ing protocol (CAP) to enable authorities to effective- alerting protocol (CAP) to enable authorities to network capacity, e.g. lines and access trunks, ly prevent and mitigate the spread of Covid-19. effectively prevent and mitigate the spread of to offer an efficient service when call demand The African Telecommunications Union (ATU), Covid-19. The CAP involves the use of multiple is high. Also, telecommunication providers a specialised agency of the African Union in the modes of communication to educate members and amateur radio operators need to perform field of telecommunications, has put together of the public including vulnerable groups about periodic emergency drills together. The a set of guidelines to assist in combating the the disease as well as the preventive measures. public should adequately be informed of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, that The CAP will make it possible for members of the availability of the service free of charge. every member state should consider. public to receive CAP-originated information in (c) Guidelines for action during emergencies Africa has so far recorded relatively few many ways, such as through mobile and landline Calls to emergency numbers should be free. coronavirus cases compared to the rest of the telephones, Internet (e-mail, Google, Facebook, Local and long-distance backbone providers world. Twenty-seven African countries have Twitter, WhatsApp, smartphone apps, online must have redundancy networks to handle recorded over 357 coronavirus cases, according to advertising, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, traffic from other providers that experience the World Health Organization on Thursday 19th in-home smart speakers, etc.), sirens (in-building difficulties. Broadcasters should support March 2020. Egypt leads in cumulated confirmed or outdoor), broadcast radio and television, communication and messaging strategies to cases at 196, South Africa 116, Algeria 72, cable television, emergency radio, amateur radio, the public in coordination with all the other Morocco 49, and Senegal 36. Other countries with satellite direct broadcast, and digital signage agencies that are involved. over ten cases include Tunisia, Burkina Faso, D.R. networks (highway signs, billboards, automobile (d) Amateur radio operators and simplification Congo, Rwanda and Cameroon. and rail traffic control), among others. of type-approval processes However, heads of states and governments Radio amateurs are community based and across the continent are taking no chances as 2. Collaborative practical measures should be involved in the information dissem- they race to stop the spread of the virus by Regulators should adopt the following: ination mitigation processes for Covid-19. Any sensitising their citizens about the pandemic (a) Network Capacity type-approval acceptance could be waived during and the various ways to combat the disease. Fixed and mobile telephony providers should the period of emergency for equipment to be Globally, telecoms/ICTs have become a pillar reserve some dedicated network capacity used by amateur radio operators or those pro- in the prevention, preparedness and response to which should be made available free of charge cesses simplified in order to gain time, for exam- the Covid-19 pandemic. to the authorities handling Covid-19. ple, not subjecting such equipment to taxation The ATU, through the secretary-general, (b) Emergency Numbers at all. Regulatory authorities should recognize Mr John Omo, is urging the ministries of ICT, Fixed and mobile telephony providers should foreign type approvals to expedite the process through the telecommunications regulators and implement and enable the emergency and rely on the guidelines of the ITU Telecommu- operators in the member states, to consider numbers, for example 119, for voice nication Standardization Sector (ITU-T).
12 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS February/March 2020
NAWC 2003 p12-13 (ATU).indd 12 16/04/2020 14:29 NEWS REVIEW
3. Streamlined regulation processes deployed with limited interference. importation process of critical telecom/ICT Rapid response in the wake of a disaster is critical. (c) Priority call routing equipment that might be used for response Consequently, regulators should streamline During such times, networks could fail to and recovery: e.g. exemptions from duties the process to allow telecom/ICT services to provide service for different reasons, one of and tariffs, clear expedited processes and be available as soon as possible. The following them being overload thus delaying or altogether streamlined paperwork. In addition, once the strategies should be considered by regulators: preventing critical communication. Regulators equipment needs to be returned to the place (a) Telecom/ICT services licensing should establish priority call routing on both of origin, expedited processes should be in As the continents fight the Covid-19 pandemic, mobile and fixed networks for people engaged place to help streamline the return process. the telecom/ICT regulatory authority should in Covid-19 response as well as other entities urgently grant telecom/ICT service licenses and institutions involved in such activities. 4. Multi-stakeholder collaboration necessary to support emergency telecom/ (d) Network redundancy There should be coordinated efforts during ICT efforts. Therefore, exceptional expedited Network redundancy is a critical element of this period and clearly defined functions for licensing procedures should be in place, free a robust network that will minimise telecom/ different government institutions, e.g. ministries of charge, for use. These licenses should be ICT outages during this period. Disaster of foreign affairs, ICT and communications, temporary and valid only during this period networks need to consider redundancy customs, regulatory agencies and first of emergency response and recovery until the and resilience in their design, as well as responders such as hospitals among others. government has determined that there is no increase the number of terminals. Regulators Also, there should be a collaboration with further need for the service being provided. need to ensure that telecom/ICT providers the private sector, including telecom/ICT (b) Frequency allocation have networks with adequate redundancy operators, private networks, and amateur radio Frequency planning and allocation are critical and multiple connectivity options for the among others to give support and insights to at this time for mitigation, preparedness, authorities involved in combating Covid-19. the government on the collection of data and response and recovery. Governments should (e) Importing telecom/ICT equipment dissemination of information to the public. make the necessary spectrum available on a Major delays during the importation of Regulators should, therefore, carry out a set of national basis to allow for multiple types of telecom/ICT critical equipment have a negative activities and procedures to connect all actors applications and services, from narrowband impact on the response time to a disaster, and in the ecosystem at the local, national and voice services up to broadband-intensive even impact the likely loss of lives. Delays can international levels and ensure effective flow of applications. A combination of spectrum occur for several reasons, including duties or information as the continent fights Covid-19. n bands should be available free of charge for tariffs, restrictions based on local standards, emergency communications, allowing both extensive paperwork, disorganized processes, Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African terrestrial and satellite systems to be quickly etc. Rules should be in place to expedite the Telecommunications Union (ATU).
February/March 2020 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS 13
NAWC 2003 p12-13 (ATU).indd 13 16/04/2020 16:03 WIRELESS BUSINESS
Orange Money arrives in Morocco Telecom Egypt
Orange Maroc has launched its popular mobile money service, Orange Money, in Morocco boosts internet The operator received approval for the service last summer from Morocco’s Bank Al-Maghrib and packages by 20% Orange Money will now allow Moroccans to make payments, pay for phone recharges remotely and Telecom Egypt has increased the capacities transfer money using their mobile phones. of landline internet packages by 20%, as Users will have access to a mobile wallet part of the Ministry of Communications and backed by their phone number and can Information Technology initiative to support withdraw money from the Orange Money wallet students in the country. at approved points of sale. The ministry said in a statement that this Mobile users from any telecom operator can Users will have access to a mobile wallet backed by step coincided with the decision to suspend access the service by simply downloading the their phone number and can withdraw money from schools and universities for at least two weeks mobile application. the Orange Money wallet at approved points of sale as part of the precautionary measures taken by Orange Money first launched in 2008 in Côte the state to confront coronavirus. d’Ivoire and it has since spread throughout the Morocco with a market share of 34.06%, while Earlier, the ministry launched a number of African continent, enabling 45 million customers Inwi is third with a market share of 23.02%. initiatives to support the distance education in 17 countries access to financial services. Both trail behind Maroc Telecom, which has process, most prominently the 20% increase This new launch makes Morocco the 18th dominated the market for many years. of the download capacities of home internet country to have access to the service aimed packages for individuals. at increasing financial inclusion in Africa. Adel Hamed, managing director and chief Orange Money is the second mobile executive officer (CEO) at Telecom Egypt, said money service to be launched in the company was keen on the immediate imple- Morocco in less than a year. mentation of increasing the internet packages Mobile operator Inwi offered to customers by 20%. The rationale launched its own mobile money was so that students could keep up with their service called Wana Money lessons through the distance learning system. in September 2019 and the The initiative started March 17 and cus- company claims more than tomers have been receiving text 140,000 users since its launch. messages to inform them of Orange Maroc is the second- the increase in the capacities biggest telecom company in of their current packages by 20% and that these additional packages will be valid for 30 days. Hamed confirmed that Telecom Airtel Africa completes Egypt will provide a browsing service for the Knowledge Bank, educational platforms spectrum acquisition from rival and sites free of charge for students, in order to support the distance education. Airtel Africa has completed the acquisition of 10 already support the activation of the additional 10 Telecom Egypt is the first in the sector MHz of spectrum in the 900 MHz band in Nigeria MHz spectrum in the 900 MHz band. to implement the initiative. Meanwhile, the from fellow operator Intercellular Nigeria. In addition, the acquisition will enable Airtel operator announced distributing a cash dividend This additional spectrum purchase, agreed Africa to expand its fast-growing fixed wireless of E£0.25 per share, according to a statement in November 2019, is expected to reinforce the broadband offering. sent to the Egyptian exchange. former’s leading 4G position in its largest market In total the acquisition involved a payment of The company said that the dividend will by increasing the available capacity of the existing US$94m, including Nigerian Communications be payable on April 22nd to the shareholders network and supporting the further roll-out of 4G. Commission (NCC) fees. recorded on April 15th. On March 23rd, the It will also allow Airtel Africa to efficiently manage Airtel Africa’s Nigerian division reported an ordinary general meeting (OGM) approved capex spend for its 4G network. The firm operates increase in revenue last year of more than 23%, distributing cash dividends of E£0.25 per a single RAN network and the majority of its sites with data growth being the largest contributor. share for the year 2019. Burkina Faso PM slams Orange price hike
The prime minster of Burkina Faso, Christophe However, in a post on Twitter, Dabiré expressed Burkina, urged customers to boycott Orange if Dabiré, has described Orange’s proposed price disappointment that Orange had acted without first the price hike was implemented. hike as “unacceptable”. airing its concerns to his administration: “Without a “This increase is unjustified and shows The French operator Orange notified its study proving the tax burden on the telecom sector is contempt for consumers … especially as we customers that it would increase tariffs by 2.04% excessive, the government will not accept any increase face issues with poor network quality,” he said. from February 17. The increase follows the linked to the adoption of the finance bill,” he wrote. Burkina Faso became the 20th country to introduction of the government’s 2020 Finance Act, Dasmané Traoré, head of the consumer join Orange’s footprint in Africa and the Middle which raises operator revenue tax from 5% to 7%. interest group Ligue des Consommateurs du East (MEA) in 2017.
14 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS February/March 2020
NAWC 2003 p14-16 (Wireless Business).indd 14 15/04/2020 16:20 WIRELESS BUSINESS
Ethiopia to allow MoMo MTN to reduce Ethiopia said it will allow non-financial provide saving, credit, insurance and pension Nigerian shares institutions to offer mobile money services in products. State-owned enterprises can also the country, effectively opening up the business apply for permits, the central bank said. to telecom operators, including state-run Ethiopia’s financial system is part of a raft MTN plans to reduce its shares in its Nigerian monopoly Ethio Telecom. of economic reforms by prime minister Abiy subsidiary, according to the group’s chief finan- The central bank directive comes amid plans Ahmed’s government aimed at opening the cial officer. In an interview with Bloomberg, Ralph to liberalise the telecom sector by offering two economy to more foreign investment. Meanwhile, Mupita, revealed that the South African telecom new licences and selling a stake in Ethio Telecom. Ethio Telecom has taken the unusual step giant, which holds 79% of, shares intends to sell MTN, Vodacom and Orange SA have expressed of making smartphones available on credit. 15%. This transaction, which will be aimed at an interest in entering the Horn of Africa nation. The state telecom monopoly will offer those local investors, will bring MTN Group’s stake in Currently, only banks and other finance who cannot afford a smartphone two types of MTN Nigeria to 64%, which has been listed on houses are allowed to provide mobile-money options, intended to boost telecom penetration the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) since last year. services to a population of 105 million people. and smartphone usage. It is set to introduce The reduction in shares in MTN Nigeria is Licence requirements include minimum capital a device financing model, where customers also part of the asset realisation program of 50 million birr (US$1.5m), ownership by can get phones on a credit basis - and the (ARP), launched in March 2019 by the group, Ethiopian nationals or people of Ethiopian origin scheme also aims at upgrading them from using whose objective is to reduce debt, simplify its and a minimum of 10 shareholders, the National feature phones to smartphones. With the new portfolio, reduce risks, an improvement in its Bank of Ethiopia said in a statement on its website. arrangement, the company hopes the number of returns and the realisation of a capital of at The directive, effective April 1, allows smartphone users will grow to 60% from 33%. least R15bn over three years. maximum account balances of 30,000 birr Several operations have already been carried and transaction limits of 8,000 birr daily out by the group with this in mind, notably the and 60,000 birr monthly. sale of its interests in ATC Ghana to American Companies that receive the Tower Corporation for 900 million rand, the sale mobile-money permits can also of its stakes in the investment fund Amadeus and its associated stake in Travelstart, the sale of MTN Group’s 49% stake in Ghana Tower Interco BV and Uganda Tower Interco BV to AT MTN gets Sher Netherlands Cooperatief U.A. MTN Nigeria currently represents an indispensable clearance market for the group. At the end of the financial year to sell ATC ended December 31, 2019, the subsidiary represented a contribution of 30.77% to the group’s Ghana stake the disposal of both ATC Uganda income, which amounted to R151.5bn. and ATC Ghana to R8.9 billion, Nigeria-based operator MTN has received which will be applied to paying down US-dollar regulatory approval for the sale of its 49% debt and general corporate purposes,” read a stake in ATC Ghana, with funds due to be statement issued by MTN. Egypt promotes transferred imminently. It follows the sale of In its full year 2019 financial results, MTN the operator’s 49% stake in ATC Uganda. saw revenue grow 9.7%, while service revenue online transactions The divestment strategy is part of MTN’s increased 9.8% and subscriptions grew by 18.2 “asset realisation programme”, initiated in million to reach 251 million. The group’s March 2019 to “reduce debt, simplify our chief executive Rob Shuter, announced he amid outbreak portfolio, reduce risk and improve returns”. will step down from his role at the end of his “This takes the total proceeds received for current contract, in 2021. The National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has agreed with mobile phone operators in Egypt to promote the buying and selling of goods or services online amid the coronavirus outbreak through offers on e-transaction services. Ooredoo Tunisia hires Huawei for 5G Using each company’s web application, as well as through the use of e-payment services, customers Ooredoo Group, the Qatar-based telecom firm with a convergent platform, to achieve what it will receive 30 times the charged balance as free operating in north Africa, has chosen Chinese describes as a full digital transformation and minutes or units when using e-payment options giant Huawei for five 5G deployments in Tunisia modernization of its existing mobile networks. under the offer, which extends for one month. and four other territories. These upgraded networks, Ooredoo said, will It forms part of the government’s efforts to The five-year deal, according to the operator, offer about 100 times faster download speed encourage Egyptians to stay at home as much involves a network upgrade that will provide than 4G networks. In 2020, the operator will as possible to contain the spread of covid-19. customers with the latest 5G technologies and launch 5G commercial services in additional The offer can be extended further to allow customers services. Ooredoo will leverage Huawei’s 5G countries across the Ooredoo footprint. to continue to recharge their mobile phone balances SingleRAN radio solution with advanced massive Huawei will also cover Ooredoo’s networks in without the need to go out of the house, encouraging MIMO technology and 5G cloud core solution Kuwait, Oman, Indonesia and the Maldives. them to work remotely and stay indoors longer.
February/March 2020 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS 15
NAWC 2003 p14-16 (Wireless Business).indd 15 16/04/2020 16:03 ON THE NETWORK
Connecting the African continent Chris Mason, vice president of sales and marketing for EMEA at Rajant Corporation, discusses, how the wireless communications market will adapt and evolve and the challenges Africa will face over the next 12 months
ajant has been consolidating its position as a Africa is a prime key supplier of wireless systems to the mining target for the Rindustry in sub-Saharan Africa. For around 10 manufacturers of years, there have been increasing deployments in cellular mobile major open-pit mines, where users have expe- networking equipment rienced the resilience and reliability of Rajant’s Kinetic Mesh Networks at the heart of operations. One of the significant developments in the last 12 months is a move towards deployment markets as well as African economies at large. consumption as global transport is reduced. in underground mines. Wireless networks in With such penetrations which have been seen A slowdown in the No. 2 economy and a 5% an underground environment have historically and the development of possible new services drop in oil prices over one year could mean $4 been achieved by the use of radiating cables, or based on 5G architecture, the operators have billion in lost export revenue for sub-Saharan “leaky feeders”, co-axial cables with gaps in the increasingly sought to expand their services on both Africa, or the equivalent to 0.3% of its gross insulation that allows some of the RF signal to public and private networks into less consumer domestic product - more than any other “leak” out of the cable and allow communications. or voice-based services, for data and commercial continent outside of Asia, according to a study Due to the “leakage” of signal, line amplifiers uses. The last 12 months have seen energetic by the Overseas Development Institute. are required to be inserted at regular intervals, efforts from particularly Chinese manufacturers However, at the time of writing, the world typically every 350 to 500 metres, to boost the to secure network deployments in a number of is suffering the effects of the coronavirus; the signal back up to acceptable levels. There are geographies in Sub-Saharan Africa where their social and economic effects of which cannot some limitations to leaky feeder systems. If significant existing investments in infrastructure yet be quantified. From an African domestic something severs the cable, communications demonstrate their focus on this geography. perspective, it appears that as of the end of stop beyond the break. Another problem is that It remains to be seen whether the cellular March 2020, infections do not thankfully appear multiple leaky feeder cables can sometimes cause communications systems, such as LTE and to have accelerated again to the levels seen in interference within the system. Finally, the range the potential 5G services, can perform well in China, Europe, and the United States. How this from the cable is limited to around 100 meters. industrial environments such as mines or ports will play out is unpredictable. Working with one of our technology partners in that require 100% connectivity, symmetric Rajant has a strategy in Africa to build out South Africa, Poynting Antennas, Rajant has helped upload and download bandwidth, and ultra-low from incredibly successful activities in open-pit with the development of some advanced wireless latency. Further, from an operational perspective, mining into, as previously identified, underground antennas. These antennas have transformed the if it’s not a private network solution, not owning mining. Beyond that, ports logistics and public ability to send and receive wireless signals in a the industrial network infrastructure means that safety/municipality use are key target markets. tunnel and have achieved reliable distances of up to access to make changes and ensure maintenance Despite the challenges faced by all 1 km in an underground environment. is performed at operationally appropriate times organisations, Rajant sees the next 12 months Along with the flexibility of deployment, this can be more problematic. Finally, there’s also the as a growth opportunity. As nations and means the underground mines can enjoy the question of full-life economics once the initially organisations adapt to new working practices, same kind of connectivity open-pit mines have discounted tariffs are applied in full. people need to be taken out of the equation. enjoyed for years. Still, there are more challenges facing Africa Doing more with less people, will see automation With the dominance of mining as the user in the next 12 months. The continent’s and remote operation systems accelerate, along of critical industrial wireless systems, this can GDP growth, estimated at 3.4% for 2019, with the associated requirement for resilient, be said to be influencing the industry regarding was projected to accelerate to 3.9% in 2020 flexible, and easily deployable wireless networks. industrial wireless applications. Fleet automation and to 4.1% in 2021. Leading the way are We plan to continue our historical growth by and optimisation in the mining industry continue six economies among the world’s 10 fastest ensuring our existing customers receive the latest to drive the requirement for wireless networks that growers: Rwanda, Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, technologies and by expanding into the growth can support the key requirements of resilience Ghana, Tanzania, and Benin. countries identified previously: Rwanda, Ethiopia, and extremely low latency that characterise This projected growth, however, was not to Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Tanzania, and Benin. To remote operation or automation systems. be driven by the continent’s big five countries do so, we’ll be recruiting new personnel and Africa is a prime target for the manufacturers —Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria and South partners to ensure we can provide global market- of cellular mobile networking equipment. It’s Africa, which jointly grew at an average rate of leading technology with a local presence. no secret that unlike most of Europe, Africa 3.1%, compared with the average of 4.0% for the Rajant enables companies and organisations is poorly served by landline infrastructure, so rest of the continent. Growth had been forecast to build private wireless networks that support the operators have, for several years, focused to pick up to 3.9% in 2020 and 4.1% in 2021. the IIoT. We refer to those very networks as on bringing these services to market in One of the world’s key markets for natural “Living Networks” because they thrive in metropolitan areas. They are now viewing the resources, China, has been at the epi-centre dynamic network environments where everything rural areas as key growth markets. of the COVID-19 virus’ effects, with a tangible in the network can move and evolve as The last five years have seen Africa experience impact on its economic consumption of the connectivity demands change. With our Kinetic the fastest telecoms growth worldwide, which has raw materials from mining operations. The Mesh technology, network infrastructures can transformed fundamental aspects of social and oil industry on which Nigeria has significant be built with the ruggedness, mobility, and business life. Mobile subscriber growth remains the dependencies is suffering from a perfect storm autonomous application support required in fastest in the world, positively impacting telecom of increased output, and massively reduced today’s demanding business environments. n
16 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS February/March 2020
NAWC 2003 p16 (OTN).indd 16 15/04/2020 16:21 obile Mark is a leading supplier of innovative, high performance antennas to wireless companies across the globe. We’ve been in the wireless industry for over 30 years and have our roots in the Mearly Cellular trials. Today, we benefit from enhanced design capabilities and expanded production capacity – along with a greater understanding of new and emerging markets such as mining and exploration. Modern mining operations rely on a battalion of vehicles, ranging from massive extraction vehicles to modest-sized material transport trucks. These vehicles operate in tough environments where high vibration is a frequent wear and tear challenge. Mining companies throughout Africa have relied on our rugged, foam-filled mobile antennas for consistent connections. Mobile Mark’s infrastructure antennas have been used for rapid deployment and redundancy coverage for effective wireless coverage in isolated settings.
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Mobile Mark Ad v1.indd 4 14/04/2020 17:57 ROUNDTABLE: AFRICA & SMART CITIES ROUNDTABLE: AFRICA & SMART CITIES
smart utility and transport solutions: improving out for an urban digital ecosystem, various social, improving school access and online education, For ‘smart cities’ to thrive on any continent, there’s a need to establish city lives and save the valuable resources. medical and societal issues may also be addressed smart roads and vehicles, improving efficiency through these infrastructures and IT networks.” by reducing traffic, giving first responders access sustainable commerce models that facilitate the success of all ecosystem Keith Matthews: “The growth of the mobile and to critical data anytime, anywhere, all of this especially the smartphone market creates new David Sumi: “One needs to be aware that smart draws people and companies to live there. It’s not players. Four key industry players give us the latest on Africa’s journey opportunities, allowing markets to respond to the cities often times set a foundation for economic investing in fancy gadgets, it’s investing in core demand for local data. Once the basics are laid growth. By making high speed internet available, infrastructure that will pay off in the future.” In your opinion, what makes a city ‘smart’? Are smart cities a solution to the booming urbanisation in the continent? David Sumi: “There is a difference between a Justin Farnell: “The city needs to have an to enhance people’s lives, effectively smart city and a connected city. Smart cities, integrated digital platform or ‘brain’ that can manage and use natural Justin Farnell: “There is movement of people from the countryside to priorities. In this way, common platforms, data where systems self-monitor, take corrective help manage all the key municipal departments resources and achieve no simple answer the cities. IoT and AI technology can certainly formats and monitoring systems are ensured, action and notify authorities and citizens, require (utilities, transport, tax, etc) and offer services a business to addressing make a huge difference in measuring levels which will enable the sharing of information gigabit level connectivity as a start. What we see to its citizens, through an easy to access online growth from the mass of water sanitation and air quality, whilst for mutual benefit between departments – in the future are networks capable of supporting portal. Sounds great in theory, but much efficiency.” improving transport networks to make the something that was impossible previously.” gigabits of traffic to address all the applications.” harder to deliver in practice!” city a healthier, safer and more productive place to live. One major area of contention David Sumi: “They are 100% part of the Keith Matthews: “The smart city is more than just Murat Sahinoglu: “The term ‘smart city’ is for a gateway metropolis like Johannesburg is solution. The UN estimates that by 2050 68% a concept. It’s a connected, agile and innovative increasingly used, and often implies a usage of David Sumi, VP of marketing, Siklu the large number of undocumented migrants of the world’s population will be living in a city, city that uses IT and digital technology extensively information and communication technologies Communications that have moved there in the past 20 years. up from 55% today. Smart cities are going to improve the quality of life of citizens and to (ICT) solutions in the city. The smart city is framed Lack of effective tax revenue collection and to be required to provide services in a cost boost the economic attractiveness and tourism by three dimensions: technology, people and the consequent deterioration of public effective and efficient mode to address this potential for local authorities and companies. In community (we usually use businesses or service delivery are at the heart of the city’s massive increase in population.” the smart city, the search for innovation never environment). The smart city includes various problems. The emergence of a digital ID stops, but it is the integration of services across smart functions like smart transport, smart may have it’s “big brother” opponents, but Keith Matthews: “The growing challenge to the ecosystem that creates the real ‘smartness’. healthcare and smart education. Today, certainly, it’s going to be one of the big smart city developers and the wider city eco- This could be anything from enhancing customer the majority of the world’s population drivers for cities to effectively allocate system is the rapid increase of urbanisation experience, to generating new revenue streams, or lives in cities, and urban concentration resources and services to those citizens driven by rising populations. Current global being more cost-efficient. Smart cities improve the is accelerating. Such rapid urbanisation Smart who need them most, and who are legally population growth means we will have an lives of citizens and residents, through everything boosts the global influence of cities, entitled to benefit.” additional 2.5 billion people on the planet and from mobility solutions to sustainable energy and elevating them above nations as significant an urbanisation rate of 70%, by 2050. There smart grids. However, they are dependent on the incubators of innovation, enterprise Murat Sahinoglu: “Cities are made up will be the inevitable increase in global energy free, frictionless and efficient flows of data – this and social progress. And this calls for of a complex ecosystem of stakeholders. demand – predicted to rise by 35% between Keith Matthews, country manager for Murat Sahinoglu, head of solution area is what really makes cities ‘smart’ – supported by development of smart and sustainable SA & sales director, sub-Saharan Africa, business support systems, Ericsson The key is to ensure governance 2008 and 2035. Our cities already account for embedding and integrating six key sophisticated cities. As 4G/ 5G, Internet of Things Orange Business Services Middle East and Africa structures, stakeholder groups, city around 80% of greenhouse gases, and water technologies into the core of the city. However, (IoT) and big data technologies become departments, local government, public and shortages are affecting around one-third of smart cities should essentially be designed around widespread, potential for ICT to solve the cities private enterprises work together to drive people worldwide, as we struggle to manage human needs (human-centricity) and built on a problems of cities will grow immensely. A city the common smart-city agenda. Leadership the challenge.Smart cities allow implementa- foundation of trust.” can be smarter when it gets benefits from ICT structures must be capable of retaining tion of solutions and services that help to make the holistic, macro view of the city’s needs, daily life more adaptive and efficient, reduce and enable all projects to follow the common or control traffic, manage energy, give better Why do African cities need to become faster vision, integrating both ICT and environmental access to healthcare and so on.” and smarter when there are far more social Many African countries suffer from lack of constant and political problems to overcome? power supply. How do you navigate that? Justin Farnell: “One of the key benefits to medical consultants with their patients and usher in the era of implementing a smart city solution are the politicians with their electors.” the internet of things. Justin Farnell, CEO and founder, Murat Sahinoglu: “I provide faster data speeds, but also will enable large international networks and have put in productivity and operational cost savings that Their focus is on creating WiFiontheMove can answer this ques- service providers provide fixed wireless access place, where needed, power generators to take should come with it. South Africa is a prime Murat Sahinoglu: “According to Mega Trends 2018, sustainable and smart cities, coun- tion from two different angles: (FWA) capabilities to the market, to offer broad- over in case of power supply failure.” example, where it’s much more a case of the two thirds of the world’s population is projected to tries – and ultimately, continent. This is aligned how we can manage the power supply in a band services using a mobile battery-powered mismanagement of resources, rather than be living in cities by 2050. That’s a startling figure to Goal 11 of the UN Sustainable Development smarter way, and how we can reduce the power pocket router device.” Justin Farnell: ”Stability of power in Africa is the lack of. Many pressing issues, regarding given that by 2050 the world will be home to almost Goals, which specifically relates to sustainable consumption. Cellular network connectivity a huge problem across the Continent. From a medical treatment, education, transport, 10 billion people based on the report by the United cities and communities. As drivers of change, cities combined with IOT applications can provide David Sumi: “Obviously reliable power is a South African perspective, efforts to open up and safety can be radically improved through Nation titled “World Population Prospects 2019”. now have more and better technological tools at several solutions to get real time consumption milestone all countries are trying to achieve as a the market to independent power producers technical innovation. The recent outbreak of With this avid growth, the need for smarter urbani- their disposal than ever before. Becoming smart data that will enable power companies to do core foundation for growth. However, for those (IPP’s) is still in its infancy, but the city of Cape the Covid-19 virus and the ensuing lock down, zation is becoming a key topic as the globe’s cities and sustainable is not a one-off achievement, but power distribution balance, perform predictivi- areas that are still working towards that goal, Town has made this a high profile objective to whilst putting a huge strain on public services, gear up for rapid digital transformation and societal rather a continuous journey requiring ongoing en- ties maintenance for the power outages, detect there are numerous solar and battery powered lessen its reliance on ESKOM. The adoption of is also a fantastic opportunity for cities to change. The vision for smarter, seamless connectiv- gagement, innovation and progress. By developing leakage. This can contribute significantly to solutions available.” renewable and sustainable energy solutions is really embrace cloud tech. Remote working is ity in future cityscapes is coming to life across the smart cities across Africa, you can introduce gov- improving power issues without big investment obviously a prime strategy for any smart city. nothing new, but innovations in fin and ed tech world’s main centres. Most African countries have ernment e-services: cutting through bureaucracy in building new power generators. IoT devices Keith Matthews: “Having access to energy is Energy-efficient municipal buildings, solar- in particular, should now play a central part in commendable objectives of promoting technology and reducing human interference, mobile money: will mostly be powered with batteries, and 5G indeed a prerequisite to allow telecom and IT powered street lighting, schools, and essential connecting teachers online with their school development and creating ICT infrastructure, ca- empowering farmers/entrepreneurs to have minimizes the energy consumption for IoT. 5G infrastructures to work efficiently. At Orange infrastructure will be needed for a sustainable pupils, business people with their customers, pability and skills to connect the unconnected and access and sell directly to big companies and will not only increase the network capacity and Business Services, we are used to managing carbon-neutral ecosystem.”
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Which sectors would benefit most from smart cities?
Murat Sahinoglu: “Collaboration, digitalisation, information society that integrates digitisation in all new use cases emerge and then evolve, supported automation, IoT and virtualisation are some key critical aspects of life, such as education, transport, by new bursts of innovation.The key to success is concepts that come with the continued development health, energy and even homeland security.” embedding intelligence, integrating sophisticated of ICT. Smart cities—be it smart grids, public safety technologies including IoT and Artificial Intelligence or intelligent transportation—rely on these ICT Justin Farnell: “Transport, health & safety and SMEs.” (AI) to make use out of the massive amount of data concepts. Companies such as Ericsson help public generated across the smart city.” safety and security authorities leverage the power Keith Matthews: “A smart city is a complex of new technological solutions in order to transform ecosystem with an array of vertical activities, David Sumi: “Right off the bat cities with a and enhance the services they provide to their including digital solutions to improve access to communications backbone can provide video citizens and governments. Growing communication health, facilitate mobility, enhance security… all security, offer public Wi-Fi access, connection networks are laying the critical foundation for an coordinated by the smart city integrated operations intersections and roads, and give police and upcoming innovation boom across Africa. The and security centre, providing safe city and digital firefighters connectivity to a gigabit network. development of LTE and 5G digital infrastructure is living services and experiences. Every smart city From there with multi-gigabits available cities can an integral part of Africa’s growing economy and is a unique network of integrated services that continue to add new applications in the future on has proved to be an essential driver of an inclusive may grow and develop organically over time as the wireless network they install today.” How could international standards support the growth of smart cities?
David Sumi: “The value in standards typically platforms to share best practices.There are many Keith Matthews: “Global cities are becoming the is that it increases the manufacturing volume opportunities for smart solutions within cities. The branded destinations and drivers of innovation of components, modules and systems on a challenge is to prioritize these options to three or and entrepreneurship, culture and talent hubs. The mass scale as the entire (hopefully) industry four key focus areas and to then successfully deliver Global Talent Competitiveness Index highlights this follows guidelines. As standards for smart on them. Stakeholders need shared goals and a by attributing the growing importance of cities cities emerge, the same will happen here – rapid clear idea of how to achieve them.” to their greater flexibility, and adaptability to new decline in cost and ease of operation.” trends and patterns. Cities are nimble economic Justin Farnell: “Certainly, in the areas of water units where policy can be changed faster, making Murat Sahinoglu: “The technology landscape is and air quality, global standards could help. them more attractive for talent, especially entrepre- evolving rapidly, so it is important to develop a The rollout of 5G is well documented but it’s neurial talent. By making a city smart, the urban continuous ICT learning culture among the city’s expensive, so of even greater importance for Africa digital ecosystem will bring new opportunities for transformation drivers, sharing new developments will be the FCC’s ruling on the new WiFi 6GHz creation of new jobs and small businesses, and and exploring emerging possibilities and approach- standard, since this will give a huge boost to cost- also for existing companies to develop their busi- es. Bodies such as the Smart Africa Alliance create effective (unlicensed) wireless communication.” ness – creating added value for urban populations.” What is your company doing right now to help build smart cities?
Keith Matthews: “In the smart city, the search for by developing a vision and strategy, infrastructure expansion of LTE networks across Africa can innovation never stops but it is the integration of design guidelines, and building the blueprint for accelerate this process exponentially. As we continue services across the ecosystem that creates the the ICT model. Then, it’s the challenge of secur- toward a more urbanised world and the impacts of real ‘smartness’, whether this is to enhance cus- ing the partner who can manage the inter-connec- climate change grow progressively dire, the need tomer experience, generate new revenue streams, tion between multiple service providers, handling for sustainable technologies which support the or create new operating cost efficiencies.All the vendor management process for the ICT SDGs will become truly paramount. It’s still early, smart services do one (or more) of three things streams on top of setting up the right govern- but the use cases which we have been deploying - improve customer experience, lower operating ance model for successful implementation.In- across the continent are already delivering on costs, and generate revenues. A business case novation never stops in a smart city as new use their potential. Together with UN-Habitat, we are should be made for each service to determine the cases and possibilities arise. Dubai’s innovation exploring visualisation technologies that have the return on investment. As these are new concepts leadership is influencing the entire region – we potential to revolutionise how we approach urban and services, it may not be clear beforehand what opened a new Middle East ‘innovation hub’ and design. This new visually realistic blending of reality services should be prioritised or developed. This regional business headquarters in Dubai Silicon with virtual imagination can create a more intuitive can create opportunities to co-innovate, a process Oasis (DSO), aimed at encouraging collabora- space for planners, architects, residents and other where the developer and ICT partner brainstorm tion and innovation; the hub is also our regional stakeholders to experience and re-imagine future and develop a prospective catalogue of smart centre of excellence for smart cities.Co-in- environments. In Rwanda, the Ericsson Weather services and even bespoke services. Innovation novation programs are playing a leading role Data initiative is a new innovative solution which doesn’t happen in a vacuum or without collabo- in meeting the demands of smart cities and helps in measurement of rainfall in real time utilising ration and the developer and ICT partner need to supporting enterprise digital transformation by signal disturbances in microwave links used as collaborate to innovate; this is an essential com- applying the essential ‘intelligence’ required backhaul in cellular networks. As 2/3 of the adult ponent of the smart city which itself develops through new IoT Apps and solutions.” population in Africa is unbanked, and Fintech has a into an incubator of new solutions and applica- real meaning and value add to the societies in Africa. tions.smart cities developers need the trusted Murat Sahinoglu: “Connectivity is a critical enabler The Ericsson Converged Wallet m-commerce solution advisor who can help in guiding and developing of social and economic change. Its dynamism is a new innovation which contributes to a more the ICT master plan that articulates clearly how constantly offers us new ways to overcome both open, easy and accessible mobile money network the technology could enable and contribute to global and regional development challenges. If in Africa.Since its inception in Africa in 2010, the building the required ‘smartness’ from day zero, leveraged for good, the introduction of 5G and Connect to Learn program has been leveraging the
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power of mobility, broadband and cloud solutions communications to approximately 500,000 people with the smart pole industry to build these to enhance the quality and access to teaching living in the village clusters, with the intention of wireless networks directly into light poles. and learning resources in a safe, cost effective, improving social and economic conditions.” We are also a key member of the Terragraph and user-friendly way. Together with the Whitaker program launched by Facebook. Terragraph Peace and Development Initiative (WPDI), Ericsson Justin Farnell: “I’m focusing on WiFi enabling the is an excellent example of a new industry provides ICT equipment, training and connectivity major metro commuter buses, intercity coaches consortium that centres around a standard to young victims of conflict in South Sudan and and trains in the southern African region.” that all vendors who join will use. This will northern Uganda. We joined the Millennium yield more powerful systems that are all Villages Project (MVP) as a technology partner in David Sumi: “We have over 250 cities interoperable and will bring down prices. 2007 and committed to support the MVP along worldwide using Siklu gear to connect. We Indeed, there is an entire work group n with our partners by bringing voice and internet continue to innovate and are working closely Terragraph dedicated to smart cities.” Is there any red tape making it difficult to create smart cities in Africa?
Murat Sahinoglu: “As we look ahead, it’s clear (SDGs) set by UN and a powerful way to make a Justin Farnell: “Competing national and local that Africa shows significant promise by way positive impact on society. To truly leverage the government agendas are a constant obstacle. In of economic, technological and infrastructural full potential which this offers, it’s important we terms of legislation, I’m not an expert in this field, growth over the coming years. Yet, there are still reach out to all stakeholders across government, but from an SA perspective, the opening up of many challenges we must overcome if we are to and public and private enterprise. This is how we more GSM spectrum is the most pressing legisla- deliver real sustainable change for all. While there make positive, sustainable impact in areas such tive issue, to enable the rollout of 5G in the cities, are parts of the continent on the cusp of 5G roll- as climate change, education, human rights and and bring the cost of mobile data right down.” out, there remains other parts where 3G and 4G humanitarian response.” are still in infancy. More than just a business op- David Sumi: “Primarily working with regulators portunity, digitalization is fundamental to achiev- Keith Matthews: “Every country has its own reg- as noted above. No one is preventing the release ing all 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals ulations; there is no general answer for Africa.” of these frequencies, it just takes time.” Which African nations are leading the way and which ones do you see struggling to keep apace?
David Sumi: “Where we see the most activity is Justin Farnell: “Rwanda and Kenya stand out port and telecoms infrastructure, but is still in South Africa and Nigeria. For us operating in as leaders in digitising their economies in east grappling with years of graft at the heart of it’s the 60 and 70/80GHz bands, we often times have Africa. Nigeria and Ghana in the west, and state-owned entities.” to work with regulators to allow operation. These Egypt in the north, are attracting major inward frequencies are somewhat new to many countries investment most notably into Lagos, Accra and Murat Sahinoglu: “It is not about being the so we help them understand how mmWave works Cairo respectively. Those countries still racked first or the last but to cooperate with service and the value of opening up these bands.” by military conflict and political corruption providers across the continent to enable the full such as the Congo, South Sudan, and Zimba- value of connectivity by creating game-changing Keith Matthews: “Every country has its own bwe are falling further behind. South Africa has technology and services that are easy to use, regulations and unique challenges; there is no in many ways still the most potential, with its adopt, and scale. Our vision is to realise a fully general answer for Africa.” sophisticated banking and developed trans- connected world for all end users.” n
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First-time internet users in Nigeria use the internet in a unique way: Here’s why that matters Many people fuelling the rapid growth in mobile phone usage in Nigeria are not fully utilising all the content and services available to them. Sebastien Codeville, CEO, KaiOS Technologies explains what their concerns are – and how they can be overcome
igeria is one of the most exciting research shows that they aren’t aware of the ways Research overview frontiers for emerging technology they can leverage technology to their advantage. We surveyed 819 individuals and 48 retailers and usage. The country, known as the There’s a huge opportunity to help new phone sellers from seven Nigerian states. Overall, N“giant of Africa,” shows up in headlines calling users engage with technology and the internet respondents were interested in owning a phone and it “Africa’s unofficial tech capital,” and “the in new ways, proving beneficial to both newly having mobile internet, but were not fully aware of new economy of Africa.” connected consumers and the key industry all the benefits and ways to use the internet. However, many Nigerians fueling this rapid players that facilitate that connection. We found that first-time internet users enjoy growth in the tech space actually under-utilize KaiOS recently completed a study to better reading and surfing the web, but many have yet their technology. While these Nigerians show great understand how the average Nigerian currently uses to discover how the internet can be beneficial to interest in mobile devices and the internet, our and perceives mobile phones and the internet. their entire community. New users tend to learn
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about the internet from members of their local Recommendation: Market to communities, not In Nigeria, as well as other emerging markets, new communities in an offline setting, which often individuals consumers responded best to visual marketing as leads to a narrow view of what the internet has New users need to be persuaded to adopt mobile in- opposed to text-heavy promotions. However, new to offer. For example, they might only hear about ternet and will turn to their social circle for guidance. users are reluctant to use data to play videos or a few specific apps and have misconceptions To convince an individual, start with the community. download images, especially if they do not know about both the internet and how to access it. Urban residents tend to use the internet for a how doing so will benefit them. Industry players A large portion of respondents work informal wider range of activities because they have more should consider making onboarding content jobs such as petty trading, farming, and artisan exposure to mobile internet through friends, available without data charges. This small up-front work. Although they spend most of their income family, school, and work. investment is likely to pay off by converting text- on food, shelter, and clothing, they are still Rural residents, on the other hand, do not only users to data consumers. willing to invest in things that make their lives have the same level of access, which means more fun and allow them to connect with others. they have fewer real-world examples of how the Finding: Nigerians fear misinformation and internet can be used in their communities. lack of privacy Who was included in our study? Both urban and rural first-time users generally For some Nigerians, negative perceptions of We designed our study to provide an accurate look for ways to use the internet in a way that the internet have kept them offline. Many new depiction of newly connected consumers benefits the community as a whole. users struggle to differentiate between truthful in Nigeria. As such, we structured our To reach a wider audience, advertisers can focus and false news sites, so they stay away from respondent pool to include specific age ranges, on promoting the internet not to the individual, online news altogether. Financial scams, mainly income levels, and geographic locations. Our but to the entire community. For example, newly through WhatsApp, are also a major concern. interviewees can be segmented as follows: connected Nigerians are more likely to respond to a First-time internet users are often unaware 40% rural, 35% semi-urban, and 25% urban. pitch that presents WhatsApp as a tool for organiz- of privacy settings, so they fear that having a This split provides an accurate picture of ing church gatherings and sharing study materials phone will allow them to be tracked and easily Nigeria’s urbanization status. as opposed to an app for chatting with friends. found. This is especially dangerous for women, A significant portion works in informal and/ who worry that online harassers will be able to or unstable jobs such as farming (15%), petty Finding: New users are unaware of how the discover their location. trading (31%), or artisan work (21%). internet can benefit them All respondents earn less than NGN 360,000 Nigerians have heard good things about the Recommendation: Help customers filter (USD 990) annually. internet, yet have yet to discover how to take content and configure privacy settings Our sample was slightly skewed toward a advantage of all the benefits. Mobile carriers and shop owners can start at younger population because 54% of the entire As in most other markets around the world, the source by helping customers set up privacy Nigerian population is under 20 years of age. we found that new users generally use phones settings before they leave the store. Showing Ages 16-50 were included in the study. for communication and entertainment. The users how to block unwanted messages and most impactful uses—career development, remove explicit content from their social feeds Internet perception personal health management, and business helps them feel safer online. Our study shows that respondents have a specific applications—are the least popular. By promoting educational resources such perception of internet content that is very different Nigerians in rural areas are even less likely as Free Basics or the Life app by KaiOS, from that of the developed world. For example, to understand how mobile internet can benefit industry players can combat negative views of using Opera, a major web browser app, is seen them personally. One rural interviewee said, “It the internet. It’s also important to design—or as synonymous with “browsing the internet.” This doesn’t help my business. I farm, it’s just me, encourage others to design—user-friendly leads to the unintended consequence of users my hoe, and the farm…” products for consumers with lower digital not discovering the browser app that comes with literacy levels. For example, limiting the use their mobile device if the app icon does not look Recommendation: Educate users about how of technology jargon while prioritizing visual similar to the Opera icon. We found a number of they can use the internet to their advantage content over text can make devices more similar misconceptions of the internet and device Mobile internet can provide support in areas like accessible for new users. Features such as capabilities throughout the study. health, education, and business. However, these simplified websites, content in local languages, uses are the least popular because new users and easy-to-use menus allow new users to feel Finding: Internet is a status symbol, but not are unaware of their potential value. more confident using mobile phones. widely understood Industry players can engage new users by The majority of the respondents claim they clearly stating how they can gain practical Purchasing devices and data need an internet-enabled phone, but their advantages from mobile internet. Some examples: Overall, participants responded positively to the reasoning is based more on social status and • Promote your products to customers beyond idea of buying their first internet-enabled phone perception than the actual benefits. your town by sharing photos on Facebook. or replacing existing mobile phones with superior “Well, this world right now is a global or internet • Are you a farmer looking to get a competitive models. Where and how they purchase devices, world; everything is all about internet, so that is advantage in the market? Use farming apps to however, depended heavily on their sometimes why everybody needs an internet-enabled device.” access the latest crop prices. inaccurate perceptions of security, the availability Male, 21-30 years, Anambra state, semi-urban • Do you live in an area where clean water is of warranties, and the affordability of the device. “In our time now, if you don’t have an difficult to access? Use Google to search “how internet-enabled mobile phone, it’s like you are to kill bacteria in water at home.” Finding: Nigerians prefer to pay in cash and nothing, and you must let people know you have • Save $1-$2 a month by using WhatsApp make purchases at phone shops it.” Female, 21-30 years, Abuja city, urban. instead of SMS to stay in touch with friends Mistrust in online payment systems, fear of From these responses (and others), we and relatives in other towns. fraud, and difficulty setting up payment plans discovered that the need for internet access did • Let your child learn English for free by result in 80% of respondents using cash to not tie back to what respondents actually do watching educational videos on YouTube. purchase phones. Mobile money usage in online. Instead, their reasoning was based on • Have you heard of Sudoku? It’s a free game Nigeria has increased in recent years, but for how other people view them. that can train your logical thinking skills. big-ticket items like phones, people stick with
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cash because it’s the most familiar method. Carriers that introduce more creative pricing demo devices in-store. Pre-loaded video content Nigerians purchase devices through three models that appeal to these new consumers will appeals both to users with low literacy levels main avenues: phone shops, authorized dealer have more success in selling data packages. and to the data-conscious who may hesitate to shops, and open markets. For example, offering pricing based on time use their data to look up guides. Our study shows that phone shops were the or a specific service rather than volume (MB/ Retail staff play an important role as well. preferred avenue because respondents believed GB) makes the internet seem more accessible Staff should be trained and incentivized to teach phone shops offered original phones (as opposed and user-friendly. Nigerians may be more new users the basic capabilities of internet- to knock-offs sometimes sold in markets), more willing to buy data in forms such as one hour enabled phones and the internet in general. choices, competitive prices, and warranties. of unlimited browsing per day or unlimited When members of the community become well- “People now prefer going to stores where you get WhatsApp usage for a flat rate. Globe Telecom trained employees, they can become a trusted exactly what you want, you know that these people had great success with this strategy – its data source for all tech-related questions and issues. are not scamming you, this is a company, you know service revenue went up 17% two years after While educating customers may lengthen the that this is their branch, so whatever happens to your introducing data-free YouTube videos. sales process, the time investment will pay off. When phone at the time of guarantee you can always come Industry players should also consider new customers have a better understanding of what back and complain and they will now follow up.” leveraging free data to build data usage habits. mobile internet can do, they will use more data. Authorized dealers suffer the incorrect Telecommunications company, MTN, uses this perceptions that they offer fewer options and no tactic by surprising users with free bonus data. Internet access challenges warranties. Open markets are the least trusted Not only do these freebies generate excitement, Limited network coverage and access to electricity due to the perceived risk of fake phones. they encourage users to explore the internet are serious concerns for Nigerian consumers. without the fear of overspending. Recommendation: Advertise the availability of Providing free data promotions along with Nigerians practice “SIM Swapping” to work warranties and original devices pricing transparency is a great way to build trust around poor network coverage Nigerians often incorrectly assume only in new markets. New users worry about their data Many Nigerians have multiple SIM cards and manufacturers can offer original devices and consumption and how much it will cost them, so practice “SIM swapping.” Switching out SIM warranties. To encourage purchases through services such as daily spend limits or warnings cards allows users to access different networks other avenues, mobile shops and carriers should when data is running out will be well-received. so they can shop around for the best coverage. It leverage visual ads that show off a variety of also helps them take advantage of limited-time phone options and clearly display warranty offers. Internet and device usage promotions from various carriers. Accountability is key. Retail staff should be Limited experience with the internet often trained to fully explain warranties and the types results in a narrow view of all it has to offer. We Increase network coverage and stability of follow-up services the shop offers. When new found that both urban and rural respondents If mobile carriers invest in increasing network users know that they can come back to the seller who claimed to use the internet regularly still coverage and migrating 2G connections to 3G with any issues or questions, they are more stuck to very basic online activities. and 4G, they can gain a loyal customer base. likely to make a purchase. Reliable 3G and 4G coverage would prevent New users learn from their social circle, which SIM swapping and keep users on the preferred Finding: New users tend to buy small data leads to a limited view of the internet network. Mobile carriers with a reputation for packages even if the cost per MB is higher While 82% of respondents claimed to have great network stability and coverage can benefit New users often have low and/or unstable experience using an internet-enabled phone, from higher revenue generated from voice and income, so they rely on friends and family to only 32% mentioned surfing the internet or data usage as well. purchase phones and data bundles for them. using instant messaging apps as one of their These purchases are either given as gifts or top three phone uses. This suggests that Only 54% of the Nigerian population has meant to be repaid with money or bartering. internet usage is not yet a core daily activity in electricity in the home Phones and data are also sometimes seen as Nigerian households. Battery life is a significant concern and charging communal. It’s not uncommon for families to Experienced internet users in developed phones can be an issue. Some users own share devices or for people to borrow phones to markets are quick to Google how to do multiple devices so they can switch phones check social media or get online. something, but new users turn to people when one runs out of battery power. Similarly, Regardless of who pays for the data, Nigerians they know personally and feel they can trust. smartphone owners often use basic phones generally prefer to buy smaller data bundles, Unfortunately, this means new users only learn for calls and texts so they can preserve their despite the higher cost per MB. First-time users what their communities can teach them. smartphone battery for internet access. often have a limited understanding of how data Lack of knowledge causes Nigerians to use packages are priced and how data is consumed, so their internet-enabled phones in a limited way. Teach consumers about battery life and power- they struggle to maintain consistent data usage. Without exposure to activities like downloading saving options As a result, small data packages are purchased apps, setting up online accounts, using web In Nigeria, long battery life should be prioritized early in the month and quickly depleted. As many browsers, or making video calls, new users never as a key selling point. Many new consumers new consumers live paycheck to paycheck and learn all the internet has to offer them. could be persuaded to purchase a smart feature do not yet recognize the internet as a necessity, phone if they knew certain models boast a replenishing data is not a priority. Improve digital literacy with welcome packs battery life of several days, whereas smartphone This may also be why Nigerians use the and in-store training batteries hardly make it to the end of the day. internet “on demand,” meaning they do not let New users need ways to build their digital skills and Mobile carriers and shops should also educate apps run in the background or keep data turned expand their understanding of their phones and new users about power-saving tips like adjusting on when they are not actively using the internet. mobile internet. Creating “welcome packs” that screen brightness, and introduce them to power include bite-sized content such as video guides and banks that can be used as backup power sources. Recommendation: Use simpler language and walk-throughs can enable consumers to learn, both In conclusion, Nigeria is poised for increased clearly explain bundle options before and after they make a purchase. mobile connectivity, but much work is still First-time internet users prefer simple Digital skills welcome packs should come pre- needed in user education to ensure people make explanations of what they are paying for. loaded on consumer phones and be available on the most of their internet access. n
24 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS February/March 2020
NAWC 2003 p28-30 (Industry View) KaiOS.indd 24 16/04/2020 14:28 NAWC 2003 (VIAVI) (2).indd 4 15/04/2020 16:23 WIRELESS SOLUTIONS
Viavi launches Mist Systems expands vision OneAdvisor Mist Systems, a Juniper Networks Mist has been working with Inpixon, we serve,” said Milan Simek, CEO company, announces a new Quarion and Sewio, three location and and Co-founder at Sewio. ONA-800 ecosystem partner integration positioning technology providers and Bob Friday, CTO of Mist Systems, that leverage ultra-wideband, Wi-Fi is integrating their UWB anchors and adds: “We are excited to build on Viavi Solutions radar (sensing), LiDAR, Electronic tags within the Mist AI-driven enter- the previous success of our location has launched Shelf Labels (ESL) and battery- prise solution. The firm reckons UWB solution, including placement as a OneAdvisor less Bluetooth LE tags to deliver can enable sub 1-foot accuracy when visionary in the recently announced ONA-800, an use cases for indoor location with properly deployed and will enable Mist 2020 Gartner Magic Quadrant for instrument accuracy and “exceptional” scale. to address new use cases in the safety Indoor Location Services, with new platform it says will address the Ultra-wideband (UWB) has the and high-value asset tracking areas. use cases that leverage state-of-the- evolving requirements of communi- promise of becoming a standards- “Sewio is excited to work with art ultra-wideband, Wi-Fi, LiDAR, cation service providers, their field based technology that can be the Juniper and Mist in order to extend ESL and Bluetooth LE technologies. technicians and contractors. “As 5G cornerstone of a real-time location our UWB technology to our common It takes a robust ecosystem to bring becomes more ubiquitous in 2020 system (RTLS). It supposedly delivers customers and integrate our real- indoor location to stores, hotels, and beyond, network operators are higher-accuracy location to address time location system with Mist’s hospitals, campuses and other aggressively scaling and commer- additional location use cases for cus- innovative AI-driven platform to AI-driven enterprises, so we are cialising this technology using large tomers, including those for Industrial achieve greater efficiency, profitability excited to be working with the best workforces of technicians or con- IoT (IIoT), healthcare, enterprise, and safety within facilities across vendors in the industry to make this tractors to install and activate tens logistics and retail environments. the many verticals and use cases a reality.” www.mist.com of thousands of cell sites,” Viavi claims. Viavi says the first OneAdvi- sor solution ONA-800 provides tech- nology coverage, test features and TE Connectivity extends M12 range with test process automation to facilitate this aggressive network deployment. right-angle connectors for PCBs and panels What’s more, the product supposedly allows cell site The TE Connectivity M12 Range has production efficiency and decrease cable assembly solutions already technicians to test fibre, RF, and again been extended with A-, B- and installation cost in digital factories,” available from TE, “with efficient, CPRI/Ethernet from a single D-coded versions of the right-angle said Ted Szarkowski, product high-quality and reliable signal instrument, “replacing multiple connector for PCBs and panels. The manager at TE Connectivity. transmission”. www.te.com independent tools (OTDR, CAA, Fiber latest M12 PCB right-angle offering UL certified, the M12 connec- Scope) and significantly reducing comes with two, five and eight tors meet IEC specification with the total cost of ownership for position configurations for direct an industry-standard interface service providers and contractors”. mounting to PCBs and panels. They compatible with a broad range of Kevin Oliver, vice president and have an integrated plastic mounting sensors, switches and other in- general manager, converged instru- snap feature that facilitates strong dustrial devices. They reach the ments and virtual test, Viavi adds: “5G mechanical and electrical connec- IP67-level protection for indus- represents a quantum leap in network tions, saving valuable PCB space trial-grade sealing against complexity, from the frequency bands and leading to reduced installation ingress of dust and water at used, to diversity of the x-haul tech- costs and increased productivity. up to depths of one meter. nologies, to the possibility of multiple “These latest connectors are What’s more, they complement radio vendors.” www.viavisolutions.com easy to install and help to increase field-installable connectors and Rohde & Schwarz extends 5G analysis portfolio
For over-the-air (OTA) tests on 5G frequency (IF) band. This enables side, the FE44A converts the is used to automatically control base stations in the FR2 range, low-loss transmission of 5G signals FR2 signal at the antenna inputs the test setup and verify test there’s a solution based on the FE44 and the use of cost-effective T&M down to the IF band and sends results. The solution is using a 10 front-end modules, which support instruments by avoiding the need for it with low attenuation losses to gigabit ethernet network, where the signal generation and analysis in equipment designed for the mmWave the R&S FSVA3000 for analysis. combination of the server based the lower-frequency intermediate range. The SMW200A vector This solution is suitable for test approach and parallel processing is signal generator generates the 5G systems in production. said to enable high measurement signals and the FSVA3000 provides For speed-optimized production speeds. The infrastructure consists of the right analysis functions. tests of 5G base stations, Rohde & commercially available components. In the transmit direction, the 5G Schwarz has developed a scalable, Last but by no means least, signals generated in the IF band high-performance server based there’s a new test solution for by the R&S SMW200A are up- testing analysis platform. The base stations and small cells converted to the FR2 range up to SMBV100B vector signal generator that enables cross-channel 44 GHz. This ensures that the high and the FSVA3000 spectrum analyser measurements up to 4x4 MIMO on output power is generated exactly are used as RF test solutions. The 5G transmissions in the FR1 range. where it is needed. On the receive QuickStep test executive software www.rohde-schwarz.com
26 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS February/March 2020
NAWC 2003 p18-19 (Wireless Solutions).indd 26 15/04/2020 16:24 WIRELESS SOLUTIONS
GL says new enhanced Look out for... Voice Quality Analysers now WBA completes phase one support POLQA v3 trial of Wi-Fi 6
GL Communications says its Voice accuracy for 3G, 4G/LTE and VoIP infrastructure Quality Analysers are now enhanced to networks. Upgrading to the 3rd edi- support Perceptual Objective Listening tion of ITU-T P.863, POLQA extends The Wireless Broadband Alliance Quality Analysis (POLQA) version 3.0. its scope and applicability towards (WBA), the body developing of next “POLQA, the successor of Percep- 5G telephony and OTT codecs” generation Wi-Fi services, successfully tual Evaluation of Speech Quality He further adds: “The latest completed its phase one trial of Wi-Fi (PESQ) (ITU-T P.862) analysis, is version of GL’s Voice Quality 6 infrastructure and services at the the next generation voice quality Analysers support the optional across the entire audio spectrum. Mettis Aerospace factory in the UK. testing standard for fixed, mobile POLQA v3 upgrade from POLQA In addition, POLQA v3 supports It claims that the trial was the and IP-based networks,” says Robert v2.4. POLQA v3 supports full band less harsh analysis of micropauses first of its kind in the world and an Bichefsky, director of engineering at audio analysis which provides within the speech, reacts with less important part of the WBA’s Wi-Fi 6 GL Communications.” Based on ITU-T improved scoring for mobile-based sensitivity to linear frequency dis- test and development program. The P.863 standard, POLQA supports the VoLTE, 5G and OTT applications using tortions and includes a significantly body says tests included applica- HD-quality speech coding and network EVS and OPUS codecs. POLQA improved and streamlined percep- tions of 4K video streaming, large transport technology, with higher v3 is more sensitive to distortions tual model”. www.gl.com scale file transfers, messaging and voice/video communications as well as the first stage of IoT sensor and mixed reality testing. Previous Anritsu introduces ‘industry’s first’ implementation tests with Wi-Fi failed to work in Mettis’ factory Anritsu Corporation introduces the devices at sub-6 GHz, as well as in A single PC can control up to two environment. During the trial, the ShockLine MS46131A USB vector net- the 28 GHz and 39 GHz millimetre 1-port instruments for convenient WBA says speeds of 700 Mbps using work analyser (VNA), which it claims wave (mmWave) bands. “Lightweight dual site testing. Units can be 80 MHz channels were achieved and is the industry’s first modular 1-port and compact”, the MS46131A can be easily moved between test setups, low latency applications, such as VNA that supports measurement directly connected to the device under depending on the required port video calling and video streaming, frequencies up to 43.5 GHz. With 8 test (DUT), eliminating the need for in- count. Production uptime is also performed well with results below GHz and 20 GHz models also available terconnect cables. It results in reduced enhanced, as 1-port VNAs can be 6ms. These results prove, the WBA in the series, the MS46131A test costs and improved measurement easily replaced, if needed, to keep claims, that Wi-Fi 6 infrastructure brings, Anritsu stability. The MS46131A is a test stations operational. Beyond can operate well in the presence of claims, cost and effi- modular VNA that can the USB connection to the external interference and noise in a complex ciency advantages to be configured for control PC running ShockLine and challenging factory environment measuring antennas each user session on software, the MS46131A requires a as well as deliver high quality ser- and other 1-port 5G a port-by-port basis. 12V power supply. www. anritsu.com vices for monitoring and maximizing machinery performance, minimizing downtime, and improving communi- cations on the factory floor. Doodle Labs releases ‘most advanced “The completion of this initial phase marks a significant milestone for the broadband radio platform in the industry’ adoption of Wi-Fi 6,” said WBA CEO, Tiago Rodrigues. “The Mettis facility is Doodle Labs starts 2020 with wireless data links for industrial IoT wireless mesh networks. Apparently an especially challenging environment the release of the latest member use cases. The RM-5800 supposedly compact and lightweight, the radio for wireless communications with in its expanding Smart Radio enables a variety of applications in this enables development of advanced furnaces, presses and heat, a lot Platform, which it claims is “the band, including point-to-point commu- communication capabilities for of moving heavy machinery and most advanced, long-range, nications, video surveillance, control unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the presence of dust and in-air high-bandwidth broadband radio of robotic systems and the exchange vehicular, rapidly deployable MANET particulates. Nevertheless, the platform in the industry”. of sensor data across data links in networks, ground robots, as well as field tests in this highly-charged The RM-5800 Smart Radio is unmanned aerial vehicles. handheld, wearable and small form fit atmosphere have proven that Wi-Fi designed for the 5725-5875 MHz Doodle Labs has leveraged its radios. www. doodlelabs.com 6 technology works well and can licence free ISM band. The RM- patented BII technology to develop play a vital role within the industrial 5800 radio is available in the both the RM-5800 radio to simplify the enterprise and IoT ecosystem. If the Embedded (-XM) and the IP67- development of new IP Wi-Fi 6 can deliver highly reliable, rated External (-XE) form factors. communication high quality and high bandwidth Due to its globally unlicensed na- equipment for communications in this type of factory ture, Doodle Labs reckons the 5.8 GHz high throughput, environment, then it can deliver it ISM band is popular for establishing long-range mobile almost anywhere,” he adds.
February/March 2020 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS 27
NAWC 2003 p18-19 (Wireless Solutions).indd 27 16/04/2020 16:04 WIRELESS USERS: CONNECTING REFUGEES
Avanti’s commitment to connecting rural east Africa As part of its corporate social responsibility, Avanti is donating solar satellite broadband connectivity and laptops to refugee settlements in east Africa
ast Africa, and Uganda in particular, hosts communities and local resources. SINA tackles failing education and resulting some of the largest refugee populations in In July 2019, Avanti donated solar powered unemployment in East Africa through creating self- the world. Avanti is committed to mobilising satellite broadband to The Social Innovation organised learning spaces, where disadvantaged Eits satellite technology to support refugees, host Academy (SINA)’s Bidi Bidi site, the first of three youth and refugees unleash their potential communities and humanitarian organisations in installations Avanti will be donating to the refugee for positive change as social entrepreneurs. A the region through providing access to connectivity settlement. SINA’s site is off grid, in a very “freesponsible” approach lets scholars learn the in the remotest of locations. remote location and is now able to provide its skills needed for their own enterprises by taking Avanti’s first project is now live in Bidi Bidi beneficiaries with access to the internet and an up responsibilities within a SINA community. refugee settlement, based in northern Uganda. ICT lab. SINA provides refugees and members of Scholars start to understand their past as a Bidi Bidi hosts over 270,000 displaced people the host community with access to connectivity strength, rather than a subject of shame and predominantly from the neighbouring conflict in where alternatives do not exist due to the lack of create solutions to local problems themselves. South Sudan, putting immense strain on host electricity and financial means in the settlement. The satellite broadband Avanti has donated
28 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS February/March 2020
NAWC 2003 p26-27 (Wireless Users).indd 28 15/04/2020 16:25 WIRELESS USERS: CONNECTING REFUGEES
is being used by SINA’s beneficiaries for access primary objective of the ECO project is to ensure ECO service is suitable for the following sectors: to job and grant applications, self-learning that no community in sub-Saharan Africa, no Commercial community markets where local websites, researching project and enterprise matter how rural or remote, is left without access resellers or entrepreneurs can sell the service in ideas, online mentorship, independent news, to reliable high-speed broadband connectivity. return for a share of revenues generated. reconnecting with relatives and the creation of The ECO project team researched and de- National governments and governmental social media pages for start-ups. veloped satellite Gateway Earth Station (GES) agencies committed to reducing the digital SINA’s connected centre is being used by equipment and Customer Premises Equipment divide in sub-Saharan Africa. over 70 people on a daily basis including SINA (CPE). The equipment is specifically designed to International development initiatives where members as well as teachers and youth from meet the reliability, performance and affordabil- the affordability of the micro-data purchase via the surrounding area. Refugees and the host ity requirements of the sub-Saharan Africa envi- PAYG model can be used to support financially communities are using their smartphones as ronment where telecommunications infrastruc- viable and sustainable access to digital services well as laptops provided by Avanti to get online. ture is usually limited, completely unavailable or in under-resourced rural communities. “Since knowledge is power, the internet unaffordable to the majority of the population. The ECO project is led by Avanti has allowed refugees and the host community The CPE is available in two variants with both Communications Ltd in the UK. The project to gain access to information essential for enabling multiple concurrent users to access re- has successfully demonstrated the technical self-determination, self-learning, and personal liable satellite based high-speed broadband and and financial viability of delivering an development through education. Social digital services using any Wi-Fi enabled device. affordable satellite-based Wi-Fi solution through enterprises have emerged, which are solving The ECO service integrates a solution deployment of advanced and specialised local challenges while providing a dignified for affordable micro-data purchases on equipment across Avanti’s HYLAS 4 satellite income”, says SINA founder Etienne Salborn. smartphones via Pay As You Go (PAYG). The footprint in sub-Saharan Africa. n Following the success of the donation to SINA, Avanti’s corporate social responsibility programme Opportunities and barrier to using adoption of mobile and internet-based solutions, is expanding its impact in East Africa and mobile technology and the internet these trends have important programming connecting further sites in refugee settlements. and policy implications for those working with Through 2020, Avanti is working with UNHCR, in Kakuma refugee camp and refugee communities and should be considered The UN Refugee Agency, as a corporate partner Nakivale refugee settlement – a as part of future programme designs. donating solar powered satellite broadband case study by global charity connectivity and laptops to seven UNHCR sites in KEY INDICATORS remote refugee settlements in Uganda. Kakuma refugee camp in northern Kenya and Although access to any type of mobile device Avanti will be connecting sites in Palabek, Nakivale refugee settlement in south western provides a channel (voice/text) through which Imvepi, Bidi Bidi, Kiryandongo, Maaji II and Uganda host a diverse range of nationalities humanitarian organisations and others can deliver Rhino Camp refugee settlements throughout from across the region, including Somalia in the services to refugees, smartphones clearly offer this project. The settlements, predominantly east, to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the the most effective way to connect to social media hosting refugees from ongoing conflicts in the west. Diversity helps to better understand the through the internet and, in turn, with refugee Democratic Republic of the Congo and South role mobile technology plays in refugees’ travel communities to address a diverse array of needs. Sudan, are remote and off grid. around the region and how it can support their Based on the key trends identified in this The donation comprises of solar connectivity lives once they reach settlements. report, the strongest indicators of access to equipment, installation, laptops for each site, Refugees were purposefully selected based mobile technology and related services are free bandwidth, maintenance and customer on nationality, age, gender and population connectivity, education and age. support. The connectivity will enable refugees distribution in each location. The primary data and their host communities to access collected represents the first dataset of its kind CONNECTIVITY information, humanitarian and livelihood to focus on understanding the use of mobile Access to internet enabled devices such as services; working to create revenue generating technology and the internet within refugee smartphones is only part of the challenge. opportunities, increase refugee self-reliance and populations in Kenya and Uganda. Connectivity, defined here as reliable access ease the pressure on host countries. to 3G/4G data services, is the keystone for Avanti announced this contribution at the KEY TRENDS accessing services beyond voice and text. It is first UN Global Refugee Forum in Geneva in Although Kakuma and Nakivale have very therefore one of the biggest determinants in December 2019 and is committed to supporting different geographic, urban and infrastructural how practitioners can target mobile and internet UNHCR’s work through the provision of differences, there are many similarities in the based services in refugee communities. connectivity, bridging the digital divide and way refugees access and use mobile technology increasing opportunities for people in some of and the internet, as well as the challenges they EDUCATION AND AGE the most disconnected locations. face. Furthermore, there are close similarities This study has shown that age and education “This is a big step for Avanti in terms of our in refugee needs across both locations, as are strong influencers of smartphone ownership commitment to Africa and the opportunity we can well as in the role mobile phone technology and increased use of mobile-based applications provide the developing regions in our network. Giv- can play in addressing these needs. Based on and services. Younger refugees are more likely en the magnitude of refugees living across Africa, analysis of the data collected, eight key trends to own a smartphone, with the average age our work with UNHCR will allow us to increase our have been identified that are common to both of an owner being 28 in Kakuma and 30 in efforts in connecting the world, enabling people Kakuma camp and Nakivale settlement. The Nakivale. Increases in levels of education also to build themselves a better future’, says Avanti close correlation of the eight trends identified affect smartphone ownership, with University Communications CEO, Kyle Whitehill. in Nakivale and Kakuma suggest a broader graduates the most likely to own a smartphone, The satellite VSAT equipment donated by Avanti relationship between; (1) refugee needs that followed by those who completed secondary to UNHCR was developed as part of the Every Com- can be addressed through mobile; (2) barriers education.Lamu patients now have access munity Online (ECO) project. The ECO project is led to mobile phone and internet access and; (3) to earlier, cheaper and better diagnosis and by Avanti and co-funded by the European Space mobile phone usage across settlements and treatment as well as better follow-up care Agency (ESA), as part of its Advanced Research between countries in east Africa. through remote specialized consultations, in Telecommunications Systems programme. The When taken as indicators for the potential medical education, and monitoring. n
February/March 2020 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS 29
NAWC 2003 p26-27 (Wireless Users).indd 29 16/04/2020 16:08 INDUSTRY VIEW: CELLULAR BACKHAUL
Changing the landscape of the cellular backhaul market in Africa and beyond As connectivity demands continue to reach unprecedented levels year on year, MNOs operating in Africa need to ensure they are ready to meet the demands of future. Semir Hassanaly from ST Engineering iDirect explains why satellite is the ideal solution to deploy this connectivity quickly and cost-effectively
he demand for data is exploding space segment prices with sophisticated and This includes public institutions which will also across the globe, and Mobile Network highly capable ground equipment, the cellular significantly benefit from dedicated services Operators (MNOs) are poised to become backhaul landscape in Africa is changing including education, healthcare and civil defense. Tthe primary way in which we connect. This is radically – and this is all at the hands of reliable, Satellite is the ideal solution to provide particularly the case as 5G comes to fruition, efficient satellite connectivity. backbone connectivity to regions – such as opening up new innovative use cases. To support Africa - that have no access to a fiber or undersea this, and the tremendous surge in demand for A solution in satellite cable infrastructure, or when the backbone link data it will bring, MNOs will need the help of In continents such as Africa, access to high-speed, needs to cross regions that cannot be secured. satellite and its inherent capabilities, especially reliable broadband connectivity can significantly Furthermore, it is also the fastest method to in rural areas in continents such as Africa. impact the quality of life and the economy. recover from a loss of connectivity due to a Satellite has the ability to enable cellular Connectivity has the power to stimulate socio- cable failure or natural disaster. Therefore, in backhaul in even the most remote corners of economic activity throughout the region, providing underserved areas of Africa, satellite has the Africa, which is historically underserved by access to high demand applications, such as ability to bridge digital divides and in some connectivity. By combining the rapid drop in community Internet access and mobile backhaul. cases, fill Universal Service Obligations (USOs).
30 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS February/March 2020
NAWC 2003 p24-25 (Industry View) ST.indd 30 16/04/2020 14:27 INDUSTRY VIEW: CELLULAR BACKHAUL
In Sub-Saharan Africa, there has been a provides a solution which can enable operators MNOs have more room to extend the reach of significant growth of mobile phone usage over and service providers to build and adapt their their service and address new use cases, such the past few years. According to a recent report infrastructure and satellite networking according as traffic offload for congested urban networks, by the GSMA, it is currently the fastest growing to business or missions at hand. Over-the-Top (OTT) content distribution, and region in terms of smartphone usage, with a Dialog also provides revolutionary Mx-DMA® critical connectivity for disaster response efforts. CAGR of 4.6% and an additional 167 million technology, which can combine the benefits of High Throughput Satellites (HTS) and ground subscribers over the period to 2025. This will SCPC and TDMA, ensuring that all the traffic equipment with the ability to support hundreds take the total subscriber base to just over 600 is accommodated at each remote base station of Mbps of capacity for backhaul, along with million, representing around half the population. while multiplexing the bandwidth very efficiently attractive price points, will also be crucial in As a result, we are seeing more demand for between these remotes to decrease the backhaul enabling service providers, telcos and MNOs to satellite-based cellular backhaul in Africa and we operating costs. Additionally, Dialog is designed not only “connect the unconnected” but also see this as a major area for growth in the future. to overcome challenges in cellular backhaul bridge the bandwidth gap between urban and connectivity, such as layer 2 and layer 3 bridging, unserved and underserved areas across Africa. Opening up new opportunities as well as to provide mobility support, which is This is particularly crucial as we enter the next Across the globe, satellite is attracting proving to be a critical area of our work. stage of the evolution for MNOs - 5G, which calls significantly large deployments and is considered Dialog and Mx-DMA have been successfully for a total integration of satellite connectivity with a very flexible and capable solution in the deployed commercially for mobile networks in the 5G network model. In fact, NSR estimates backhaul technologies mix. As a result, new use Asia, Africa and Latin America and is currently that 5G-differentiated applications — such as 5G cases are being opened up for satellite backhaul. empowering one of the world’s highest capacity backhaul and hybrid networks — will generate From offloading traffic in congested areas, mobile backhaul over satellite projects. There close to one-third of net satellite capacity revenue postponing or avoiding ground network upgrades are currently more than 20 mobile backhaul growth in backhaul over the next 10 years. This to sporadic use cases like railroads or sporting networks deployed over Dialog in the world. is due, in part, to the fact that 5G backhaul events; even first-responder networks requiring In particular, Dialog was successfully installed capacity demand will consume four to five times ubiquitous and reliable coverage are becoming for Mattel, Mauritania’s leading mobile operator the bandwidth of a 4G site, according to NSR. profitable applications for the satellite industry. to provide cellular backhaul to several remote While satellite backhaul may sound very sites across the region. Looking ahead promising for the industry, it is very much still in Cellular backhaul over satellite has a rich history in its infancy – with half of the world’s population Hybrid approach enabling MNOs to expand their service to remote still not connected to the internet. However, the However, bridging the digital divide in the and rural markets, particularly in Africa. From an opportunity for expansion of the number of sites outmost rural corners of Africa requires more initial 2G voice solution to a 4G/LTE data solution, – particularly in continents such as Africa - that than technology. A continued partnership the role of satellite connectivity has changed along could be economically served using satellite between satellite and MNOs is also key and can with the profile of the mobile end-user – and we backhaul from current levels of coverage is huge, create opportunities for both and can change have no doubt that this will remain, as mobile totaling 507K new broadband base stations. the landscape of the cellular connectivity market usage across Africa continues to explode and 5G for the better. With satellite in their network mix, networks begin to be rolled-out across the globe. n Cellular backhaul Satellite backhaul not only provides reliability and quick service roll-out, it also brings increased latency and operational costs which must be mitigated with the right solutions. When it comes to this, MNOs are looking for a reliable solution which can provide enhanced Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE) to easily extend connectivity to rural sites and integrate seamlessly within their terrestrial network. They are also looking for multiservice capabilities, which allow access to multiple market verticals to increase revenue, and scalable solutions for large point-to-multipoint networks and for demanding high-speed trunks. And cellular backhaul over satellite is proving to be the best in efficiency, scalability and flexibility to bridge the digital divide in Africa and satisfy this growing demand. Joining forces Newtec and ST Engineering iDirect – who are both specialists in the designing, developing and manufacturing of equipment and technologies for satellite communications - have recently joined forces to combine Newtec’s innovations in performance and efficiency with iDirect’s innovations in networking and mobility. The company’s Dialog® platform, which is a Cellular backhaul over satellite is proving to be the best in efficiency, scalability and flexibility to single-service and multiservice VSAT solution bridge the digital divide in Africa and satisfy this growing demand
February/March 2020 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS 31
NAWC 2003 p24-25 (Industry View) ST.indd 31 16/04/2020 16:08 WORLD NEWS Dare1 lands MWC to offer refunds for in La Siesta, Djibouti cancelled Barcelona event
Djibouti Telecom, Soma- Mobile World Congress off as a result of the pandemic. Clients with spend over €5,600 are lia’s Somtel and Telkom (MWC) has offered to However, GSMA said it will refund entitled to the same credits, or can Kenya, along with cable manufac- reimburse anyone who paid to the full price of the ticket, which costs claim 50% of this year’s fees as a re- turer SubCom, said the Djibouti attend the cancelled conference, €799 for a basic exhibition pass. fund, up to a maximum of €168,000. Africa Regional Express 1 (DARE1) in a move that could “lay down the Clients that spent larger sums Companies that withdrew before submarine cable system has landed gauntlet” for other events cancelled of money on the conference can the conference was officially in La Siesta Beach, Djibouti and due to the coronavirus pandemic. claim a refund, or have been cancelled – including BT, Vodafone, marine installation is underway. Organiser GSMA — the trade offered credits as an incentive to Amazon and Facebook – are entitled This follows the announcement body for the mobile industry – attend future events. to the credits but not the refunds. in early December 2019 that all scrapped the telecom event in Under GSMA’s financial package, “The GSMA values the loyalty and manufacturing aspects for the February following a string of high- companies that spent up to €5,600 support of our members and partners DARE1 system had been completed. profile withdrawals, saying health on MWC 2020 can claim either a full in the mobile ecosystem worldwide,” In addition to the installation concerns made it “impossible” for refund or credit worth 125% of what said chief executive John Hoffman. of the trunk, the installation the event to go ahead. they paid. This would be applied as GSMA said it already has formal of the two branch legs to the The Barcelona showcase was one a discount on the cost of attending support for MWC 2021 from O2 owner system’s four landing stations of the first major events to be called MWC over the next three years. Telefónica, Vodafone and Orange. has also commenced. The landing stations, located in Djibouti (Djibouti’s capital city), Bosaso (Somalia), Mogadishu (Somalia) Inmarsat launches new services in Saudi and Mombasa (Kenya), will help enhance connectivity in Inmarsat will bring its mari- Global Xpress (GX), services in Saudi Arabia and the region and they will the east African region and will time, aviation and enterprise Arabia, enabling Saudi-based busi- work closely with Inmarsat’s Maritime, also help enable more efficient connectivity solutions to customers nesses to deploy these services for the Aviation and Enterprise businesses communications, say the partners. based in Saudi Arabia through new first time. Fixed and mobile satellite to roll-out services in the region. They The two installation vessels partner agreements. It has also se- telecommunications distributor Sada will work with Inmarsat’s Enterprise are progressing on schedule and cured new spectrum licenses to deliver Al Ammah and Global Beam Telecom business to bring the benefits of its marine operations are scheduled to both its narrow-band (L-band) and have been appointed as the company’s award-winning connectivity services to be complete in March 2020. high-capacity broadband (Ka-band), first distribution partners in Saudi land-based users in the Middle East. Bladon sign US$36m deal to supply Alkan CIT
Bladon Micro Turbine, the currently covers 18 countries in say that our collaboration with very happy to present Bladon manufacturer of micro the region and this partnership Bladon will definitely enrich the advanced technologies and Micro turbine gensets, has signed a three- will provide Alkan customers with market and help operators resolve Turbines to the market.” year distribution partnership contract access to efficient and reliable key challenges that used to In addition to a total cost of with Alkan CIT worth over US$36m. telecom tower power. cause lots of pain,” said Ahmed ownership up to 30% lower than Under the terms of the deal, “Having worked with key telecom Galal, managing director, Alkan conventional diesel gensets, the Bladon will provide its microturbine operators all around the region and Communication Networks. “Alkan Bladon MTG offers up to 8,000-hour powered generators to Alkan for having rendered services for more expertise and Bladon technologies service intervals, which translates to use at telecom tower sites across than 30,000 telecom sites over that are the perfect match to empower 90% fewer site visits than required Africa and the Middle East. Alkan past two decades; I can confidently the telecom industry and we’re for conventional diesel gensets. Paraguayan network to be completed by February
Paraguay’s national fibre- Finance. Copaco operates around been integrated at the end of 2019. optic network (Red Nacional 180,000km of fibre, while ANDE has The convergence contract was de Fibra Optica, or RNFO) is expected around 120,000km. The ministries awarded in February 2019 to to be completed by February. have approximately 200km and domestic firm Celexx, which is The RNFO initiative is aimed 74km of fibre respectively. believed to have a close working at unifying the fibre networks of Paraguay’s Ministerio de relationship with China’s Huawei. state operator Copaco, utilities Tecnologías de la Información y company Administración Nacional Comunicación (MITIC) made this Copaco operates around de Electricidad (ANDE) as well announcement despite the fact that 180,000km of fibre, while ANDE as the Ministries of Interior and just 14,000km of infrastructure had has around 120,000km
32 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS February/March 2020
NAWC 2003 p32-33 (World News).indd 32 15/04/2020 16:25 WORLD NEWS Broadband growth HYLA Mobile partners with predicted for Argentina Admin Plus
Argentina will see strong will remain the leading broadband State-owned satellite company HYLA, the mobile device growth in the rollout of technology through to 2024. ARSAT will also receive US$154m repurposing vendor, has fixed broadband lines in the next four Fibre lines will grow at the fastest from a universal service fund (USF) partnered with South African years, according to new research. compound annual growth rate (CAGR) by 2020 to help complete the insurance firm Admin Plus to Data and analytics company – 13.1% over 2019-2024 – mainly Federal Fibre Optic Network, which deploy its latest machine learning GlobalData said fixed broadband supported by rising demand for is a federal backbone network technology, which allows the latter lines in the South American nation high-speed broadband connectivity made up of 13 geographic regions, to see the state of the device will rise from 8.4 million recorded and ongoing fibre network roll-outs by as well as provincial networks remotely. Admin will be able to in 2019 to 9.9 million by the operators like Movistar Argentina. interconnected to the backbone. see things like cracks and water close of 2024, led by operator damage from afar to help it issue investment in fixed infrastructure. short-term policies quickly. This The report says that growing demand helps to significantly reduce its for high-speed data services on fixed risk exposure to fraud. lines among residential and business The report customers, along with government estimates initiatives to expand broadband services that fixed to rural and underserved areas, have broadband Cellnex buys led to the investment. It estimates penetration will that fixed broadband penetration will increase from out OMTEL increase from an estimated 18.6% an estimated in 2019 to 21.0% by 2024. 18.6% in 2019 Spanish wireless infra- Cable will represent 42.2% of total to 21.0% by structure operator Cellnex fixed broadband lines in 2019 and 2024 has reached an agreement with Altice Europe and Belmont Infra Holdings, to acquire 100% of Portuguese telecom towers and Spanish firm Sateliot partners with IEEC sites operator Omtel for a fee of €800m. The acquisition also cov- Spanish 5G Internet of development of its first ‘CubeSat’ the IoT reach of existing 5G ers the rollout of 400 sites within Things satellite specialist before it launches later in 2020, terrestrial networks via operator the next four years. Cellnex said Sateliot has signed a deal with including detailed risk assessment wholesale deals. this build-to-suit (BTS) programme the Institute of Space Studies of the mission’s technical aspects. Sateliot also has similar agree- could be enhanced with up to 350 of Catalonia (IEEC) ahead of its Under the terms of the deal, ments in place with the European additional sites through 2027. inaugural nanosatellite launch. IEEC will also support Sateliot’s Space Agency (ESA), UK firm Open Omtel currently operates 3,000 The company said a team of planned follow-up launch of Cosmos for the manufacture of sites in Portugal, which represents experts from the institute will advise a constellation of up to 100 the nanosatellites and Spain’s Alen around a quarter of the telecom- it on the correct functioning and nanosatellites designed to extend Space for the payload design. munications towers in the country. Comtech acquires Gilat Satellite Networks Rajant steps Comtech Telecommu- demand for satellite connectivity and Dov Baharav, chairman of up amid crisis nications has agreed to the enormous long-term opportunity Gilat added: “I have long admired acquire Israel’s Gilat Satellite Net- set that is emerging in the secure Comtech’s commitment to technol- Rajant Corporation and works for approximately $532.5m. wireless communications market.” ogy leadership and I firmly believe its global distribution and The former will pay US$10.25 that employees will have expanded integration partners have made a per ordinary share in cash for opportunities for career develop- private wireless network for mobile 70% of Gilat’s stock and 30% in ment. No doubt, the future will be field hospitals and pop-up health Comtech common stock. very bright for Comtech and Gilat treatment shelters immediately “I am excited to have reached this and all of our stakeholders.” available, in light of the Covid-19 agreement with Gilat and believe this Founded in 1987, Gilat offers worldwide health crisis. The US- combination is beneficial to the stake- broadband satellite communication based firm’s “Emergency Response holders of both companies,” said and networking services. The Rapid Deployment Kit” is the Fred Kornberg, chairman and chief company’s largest shareholder is connectivity solution for facility- executive (CEO) of Comtech. “The Israel-based private equity firm FIMI strapped healthcare, running out acquisition better positions Comtech Founded in 1987, Gilat offers Opportunity Funds, which holds a of medical space and patient beds to take advantage of key marketplace broadband satellite communication 34% stake, followed by Mivtach- to care for the seriously ill, to trends, particularly the growing and networking services Shamir Holdings with 9.7%. expand operations.
February/March 2020 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS 33
NAWC 2003 p32-33 (World News).indd 33 16/04/2020 16:09 THE LAST WORD
Q&A suffered, there was a What do you want to do when Shanks Kulam sharp increase in you retire? bad debt, previously I don’t ever want to retire. This is co-founder ‘closed’ deals were put a lifestyle choice, not a job! I’ve x-Mobility on the back burner. It always found communications was tough. sector interesting and perpetually Who did you want to be when my teeth into technical evolving, from mobile phone hard- you were going up? sales, becoming a product What has been your ware, to software based services Having tried to make manager selling early internet career high to date? such as Skype, to mobile telecoms money since the age of five hardware (high speed modems Coming out of the 2008 crisis intact, apps like Vyke.com (unsuccessfully in the early days pre-Cisco/IP days). That firmly put albeit with some business scars, to as my older brother insisted me on the path to commercial sales successfully help scale many brands What would you say has on lending me working capital with a technical understanding. and companies into the telco space. been the best technological at rates that make Wonga.com Initially it was locally via a SIM advancement in your lifetime? seem charitable), I always knew What is the best thing about MVNO and more recently globally via The internet. Period. It’s I wanted to be in business. In your job? our telco-OTT app. levelled the playing field for all, what business I had no idea Working with entrepreneurial regardless of race, location or and to be honest it didn’t really founders and applying telecoms Who has been your biggest wealth. We all have equal access matter in the early days. to new vertical markets that inspiration? to the world’s information. What My long-time business partner, we do with it is what sets certain Wayne Myers, who’s the most folks apart. What can be more creative deal maker I’ve ever come disruptive than that? “If I had to work outside of telecoms, then it would across. He helps keep our product definitely be in the internet industry still helping people and service offering technically Which competitor do you most to communicate in new and disruptive ways” ahead of the curve, which enables admire and why? me to sell the next new thing! We consider the likes of Twilio. com a competitor. In such a What is your biggest regret? short-time they’ve democratised In primary school I’d buy, do personally I would never have Not co-founding a telecoms telecoms by making it available to up, and sell skateboards, then I considered before. I love to see business earlier. We started the masses via any website or app moved onto radio-controlled cars their drive and vision and I love that x-Mobility in 2008, but I’ve loved just by adding a few lines of code. when entering secondary school. we at x-Mobility can support that. In fact I was making around £100/ week (back in 1984) buying, What is the hardest thing building (they were all kits) and about your job? “My older brother insisting on lending me working selling radio-controlled cars to Saying no to customers. capital at rates that make Wonga.com seem charitable” the rich kids at the private school Unfortunately, it is something that I had managed to scrape my you just need to do sometimes. way into... to the detriment of We work with customers that are my studies of course! Back the right fit for us – in this way we then what we now consider know that we can better support every minute of it, so I wish we’d Which areas of Africa to do been going for longer. work in? We work across the continent What is the best business and also with brands servicing “I don’t ever want to retire. This is a lifestyle choice, lesson you have learned? the African diaspora. We’ve not a job!” Risk mitigation. In telecoms recently helped Gist Mobile most companies I’ve seen fail do launch its solution. Founded so due to bad debts, which is a by two Nigerians, it targets the function of not managing one’s African diaspora in Europe and risk. Fortunately, I learned this North America. We’ve also got an entrepreneurial spark was them and help them to grow. But (the hard way) on someone else’s announcements to follow shortly considered hustling… in a bad way. from time to time, when it’s not time and dime early in my career. with African operators and banks. the right fit, we have to say no, so New services, such as the What was your first job after that we don’t distract from our, If you had to work in a differ- Gist Mobile one, allow users in leaving school? and their, goals and focus. ent industry, what would it be? Africa to have a UK or US mobile Telecoms engineer, helping Telecoms today is really a function number on their device, meaning build and install the world’s first What has been your career of technology and internet/cloud- they can make super low cost digital mobile network (One2One low to date? based services that can reach calls and texts as if they we’re in now EE) initially only active Launching a telecoms company billions of users at a relatively low the UK or US at a local rates. For within the M25/Greater London! during the 2008 financial crisis. cost. If I had to work outside of the first time, someone in Africa The world I had known my whole telecoms, then it would definitely can ‘be local’ in another country When was your big career break? career (which we didn’t realise be in the internet industry still such as the UK, all without the After graduating with an engineering at the time had been a long bull helping people to communicate in need for any physical SIM or high degree in London, I really got run) just stopped. Investments new and disruptive ways. cost mobile plan. n
34 NORTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS February/March 2020
NAWC 2003 p34 (QA).indd 34 15/04/2020 16:25 NEWS
4 SOUTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS January/February 2019
SASIA 20Q1 p36 (YB).indd 4 03/04/2020 17:33 NAWC 2003 (VIAVI) (2).indd 4 14/04/2020 15:11