In The Spotlight
Accenture and MTN have completed a proof-of-concept to assess the potential of an Open Radio Access Network (ORAN) solution aimed at enhancing customer experience and reducing operational costs
Successful live network trials were conducted in South Africa and Nigeria, following an initial phase of testing ORAN solutions in MTN SA’s lab before moving to real-world deployment.
Accenture highlights that this solution will assist communication service providers (CSPs) in addressing various challenges, such as managing high mobile traffic, competing in a saturated market, attracting and retaining customers, and differentiating their services while also focusing on cost efficiency.
"ORAN has the potential to introduce innovation and efficiency, revolutionising how networks are built and services are delivered to customers," remarked Accenture.
Nitesh Singh, Accenture Africa's lead for communication, media, and technology, explained, "To tackle these challenges, CSPs need to invest in radio access networks to enhance performance, customer experience, and create new revenue streams. This project allowed us to collaborate with MTN, leveraging the Rakuten communications platform, and develop a next-generation network that sets new benchmarks for mobile communications in South Africa and across the continent."
MTN’s Amith Maharaj added, "We believe that ORAN will eventually allow us to significantly reduce total cost of ownership, with a wider ecosystem, and unlock the benefits of cloud-native deployments with increased flexibility and scalability."
Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies and a prominent African tech company, has unveiled an exciting new addition to its range of cybersecurity solutions offered through its Cyber Security Fusion Centres (CSFC)
This latest solution aims to provide customers with a more comprehensive cybersecurity offering, incorporating features such as asset management, risk remediation, patch management, and compliance support into Liquid’s existing cloud security services.
“With the rapid pace of digital transformation, businesses must continuously enhance their cybersecurity strategies. Cybercriminals are growing more sophisticated, and Liquid is committed to investing in cutting-edge solutions to stay ahead of these evolving threats, ensuring our customers’ systems remain secure. Our Cyber Security Fusion Centres offer the ideal platform to manage these risks for our clients,” said Adil El Youssefi, CEO of Liquid Intelligent Technologies: Rest of Africa.
Compliance support is a critical component of any cybersecurity strategy, and this new solution allows Liquid to assist businesses in adhering to both local and international regulations. The solution can be customised to align with any compliance framework and regional data protection laws.
Leveraging its robust local infrastructure and cloud expertise, Liquid is well-positioned to deliver these services throughout East Africa. Its Azure stacks in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda ensure businesses can maintain compliance with local regulations while accessing top-tier cloud and security services. Complementing this, its CSFCs offer tailored support across cybersecurity, cloud, and networks, providing end-to-end security for both enterprise and SME clients.
With the addition of these new features to its existing portfolio, which includes L3-L7 DDoS mitigation, Virtual CISO, and Managed Security Services, Liquid enables its customers to more effectively manage and protect their cyber assets while offering proactive threat detection and prevention against cyberattacks.
Today, some of the largest telecom operators worldwide, including América Móvil, AT&T, Bharti Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Reliance Jio, Singtel, Telefonica, Telstra, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Vodafone, along with Ericsson, have announced the launch of a joint venture aimed at delivering network Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) on a global scale to foster innovation in digital services
Network APIs offer a streamlined way to access, utilise, and pay for network capabilities, and this initiative aims to make these APIs universally accessible across multiple telecom service providers.
Historically, the advanced functionalities of modern mobile networks have been out of reach for developers, and integrating the capabilities of numerous telecom operators has proven complex. This new venture seeks to consolidate network APIs worldwide, enabling new applications to seamlessly function on any network, thus simplifying and accelerating the innovation process for developers.
Global API revolution
The introduction of these easily accessible network capabilities will unlock new opportunities for app development, empowering developers to create novel use cases across diverse sectors. These may include fraud prevention for financial transactions and the ability to adjust streaming quality dynamically based on device status.
The venture will offer network APIs to a wide ecosystem of developer platforms, including hyperscalers (HCPs), Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) providers, system integrators (SIs), and independent software vendors (ISVs). It will be based on CAMARA APIs, an open-source project backed by the GSMA and the Linux Foundation. Vonage and Google Cloud will also collaborate, granting access to their extensive developer ecosystems and partner networks.
With Ericsson contributing its platform and network expertise, along with its global telecom relationships, the new company aims to drive the industry forward. Telecom operators like Three Sweden (Hi3G Access) are already in talks to join, with more expected to follow, creating a significant revenue opportunity.
Pending regulatory approvals, the venture is expected to close by early 2025, with Ericsson holding 50% of the equity and the telecom providers collectively holding the remaining 50%. The venture, guided by the GSMA Open Gateway principles, will ensure an open and inclusive platform to maximise value across the industry.
Gopal Vittal, managing director and CEO, Bharti Airtel, stated, “Today marks a defining moment as the industry comes together to form a unified platform that will allow more developers and businesses to utilise our networks and explore API opportunities through open gateway principles. This move will enhance network monetisation opportunities. Airtel is delighted to partner in this initiative that will help enable the telecom sector to drive growth and innovation across the ecosystem.”
Börje Ekholm, president and CEO, Ericsson, remarked, “Today is a defining moment for the industry and milestone in our strategy to open up the network for increased monetisation opportunities. A global platform built on Ericsson’s deep technical capabilities and with a comprehensive ecosystem, that provides millions of developers with a single connection, will enable the telecom industry to invest deeper into the network API opportunity, driving growth and innovation for everyone.”
The Swedish company BeammWave has solidified its leadership in digital beamforming with the world's first demonstration of distributed digital beamforming
This demonstration, initially presented to customers earlier this summer, has now been integrated into the BeammWave Advanced Development Platform (ADP1). BeammWave asserts that this milestone not only validates the BeammWave concept but also addresses the technical challenges and slow adoption of mmWave technology in 5G.
Per-Olof Brandt, co-founder and cheif technical officer of BeammWave, explained, “We defined this concept back in 2013 and then also defined what design criteria that needed to be met for the concept to be viable for high-volume smartphones. We have since proved first through simulations, then on component level and now we have shown it in Over-The-Air system setup using 5G modulated data.”
Stefan Svedberg, CEO of BeammWave, added, “This is a game changer not only for 5G, but it will also have an impact on how higher frequency spectrum can be used in future generations like 6G and how it can drive the new use cases that everyone has been waiting for.”
The GSMA, a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem, has appointed Vivek Badrinath as the new director general and member of the GSMA board
Badrinath has held several significant leadership roles throughout his career, experience that will stand him in good stead to perform effectively in his new position. And this history includes extensive engagement with Africa, having previously served as regional CEO of Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific at Vodafone. Before this, he held key positions at Orange.
The new director general will take over from Mats Granryd, who will step down from the role after MWC Barcelona 2025.
Driving digital change
“I am delighted to announce Vivek Badrinath’s appointment.” said José María Álvarez-Pallete López, chairman of the GSMA. “During our selection process it was clear that Vivek’s deep understanding of the industry and its potential make him the ideal individual to lead the GSMA into the next phase of its evolution. I am confident that Vivek will work, together with the board and our excellent GSMA leadership team, to drive change and innovation, creating value for both the industry and society.”
“I’m proud and honoured to be joining the GSMA at such an exciting time in the industry’s development,” remarked Badrinath. “I look forward to working with the GSMA board, it’s members, and the leadership team to extend and amplify the positive impact of the mobile ecosystem for people, industry and society globally.”
Africa Mobile Networks, a group of companies with a vision of building mobile network base stations serving rural communities across sub-Saharan Africa, has utilised SpaceX’s Starlink constellation to provide satellite backhaul at more than 100 of its rural base stations in Nigeria
On average, traffic has increased by approximately 45% across all sites that have been migrated to use LEO backhaul and the organisation expects to double the number of sites using the constellation by the end of the year.
By using Starlink’s LEO constellation to provide mobile backhaul, AMN is able to unlock the full capability of the AMN Radio Node (ARN) to support the ever-increasing amounts of bandwidth and data volumes demanded by subscribers.
The flexibility of AMN’s Radio Node has also contributed to the traffic increase across these sites. AMN’s ARN is a multi-carrier and multi-technology (2G/3G/4G) radio node which can operate up to 5 simultaneous carriers in either 2G+ 3G or 2G+4G configuration. By using LEO backhaul in conjunction with the software-defined AMN Radio Node, AMN has been able to increase the BTS capacity remotely with no change to the existing BTS hardware on site. Some rural AMN sites are processing more than 25,000 voice minutes per day. Prior to the installation of AMN’s base station, many of these communities did not have access to any mobile network.
The East African Community (EAC) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) are preparing to launch the Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP), a transformative initiative to enhance digital connectivity and integration across the region
During a workshop in Dar es Salaam, EAC deputy secretary general Annette Ssemuwemba described the project as a "game-changer" that will help build a thriving digital economy, create opportunities for innovation, and drive economic growth.
EARDIP, supported by the World Bank, aims to address key challenges, including fragmented digital infrastructure, high internet costs, and limited access to online services, particularly in underserved rural areas. The project will create a unified digital network to bridge the digital divide, foster cross-border communication, and promote equitable access to digital resources. IGAD’s director Dr Mohyeldeen Eltohami highlighted the regional collaboration, calling the project a "bold step" toward Eastern Africa’s digital transformation.
Additionally, EARDIP will focus on harmonizing digital policies and enhancing cybersecurity across member states, creating a secure and resilient digital ecosystem. This initiative is expected to strengthen regional integration, improve service delivery, and position Eastern Africa as a competitive player in the global digital economy.
Africa Data Centres, a division of the Cassava Technologies group, has announced the commencement of construction for a solar farm in the Free State in partnership with DPA Southern Africa
Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies and a prominent African tech company, has unveiled an exciting new addition to its range of cybersecurity solutions offered through its Cyber Security Fusion Centres (CSFC)
This latest solution aims to provide customers with a more comprehensive cybersecurity offering, incorporating features such as asset management, risk remediation, patch management, and compliance support into Liquid’s existing cloud security services.
“With the rapid pace of digital transformation, businesses must continuously enhance their cybersecurity strategies. Cybercriminals are growing more sophisticated, and Liquid is committed to investing in cutting-edge solutions to stay ahead of these evolving threats, ensuring our customers’ systems remain secure. Our Cyber Security Fusion Centres offer the ideal platform to manage these risks for our clients,” said Adil El Youssefi, CEO of Liquid Intelligent Technologies: Rest of Africa.
Compliance support is a critical component of any cybersecurity strategy, and this new solution allows Liquid to assist businesses in adhering to both local and international regulations. The solution can be customised to align with any compliance framework and regional data protection laws.
Leveraging its robust local infrastructure and cloud expertise, Liquid is well-positioned to deliver these services throughout East Africa. Its Azure stacks in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda ensure businesses can maintain compliance with local regulations while accessing top-tier cloud and security services. Complementing this, its CSFCs offer tailored support across cybersecurity, cloud, and networks, providing end-to-end security for both enterprise and SME clients.
With the addition of these new features to its existing portfolio, which includes L3-L7 DDoS mitigation, Virtual CISO, and Managed Security Services, Liquid enables its customers to more effectively manage and protect their cyber assets while offering proactive threat detection and prevention against cyberattacks.