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Airtel Africa, a leading telecommunications operator in 14 African nations is working with Nokia to develop an innovative, high-capacity terrestrial fibre network. The network will span East and Central Africa for its advanced fibre service, Airtel Africa Telesonic.
The advancement is significant for landlocked nations like Uganda, where the digital economy relies heavily on terrestrial connections for internet access.
The strategic initiative, launched on November 12 during the 28th AfricaCom meeting of connectivity leaders. It aims to connect several African nations and link submarine cables to ground networks, thereby significantly enhancing digital connectivity throughout the continent. It will specifically link the 2Africa subsea cable to the continent’s terrestrial networks, offering reliable and affordable international bandwidth.
The project will use Airtel Africa Telesonic’s fibre resources and underwater cable networks. The project aims to meet the growing demand for wholesale data in Africa, thereby promoting economic growth and advancement.
David Birungi, Public Relations Manager for Airtel Uganda, stated that the significance of this terrestrial fibre network. He noted that it was crucial for Uganda as a landlocked country.
“This is our direct, high-capacity connection to the global economy through the 2Africa subsea cable.” It ensures the speed and resilience needed by our market, eliminating the geographical obstacle to top-tier connectivity.”
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Powered by Nokia’s 1830 Photonic Service Switch
The new network will use Nokia’s 1830 Photonic Service Switch platform, featuring advanced high-speed Photonic Service Engine technology. This technology will enable the network to handle up to 38 terabits per second (Tbps).
The Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) network features 139 nodes distributed across various countries. It is crucial for high-speed connectivity and the provision of cloud services.
Razvan Ungureanu, Chief Technology Officer of Airtel Africa shared his thoughts on the development. “Implementing Nokia’s 1830 Photonic Service Switch platform is a crucial enhancement to our network infrastructure throughout Africa,” he stated. “This will allow us to offer increased capacity and fast connectivity to effectively manage webscale traffic,” he added.
P.D. Sarma, CEO of Airtel Africa Telesonic, described the partnership as a “major milestone” in enhancing Africa’s digital infrastructure.
Samer Lutfi, Head of Growth Group for Network Infrastructure at Nokia Middle East & Africa, spoke about the advanced DWDM technology. “It is designed to help enterprises in achieving their goals of driving digital transformation and economic development in the region,” he noted.
Alongside developing Africa’s digital framework, the Airtel Africa Telesonic initiative highlights Airtel Africa’s dedication to enhancing businesses, education, and healthcare throughout the continent.
