07 January 2019

Africa Mobile Networks (AMN) and Intelsat have teamed up in an effort to accelerate the deployment of mobile connectivity to unserved communities across multiple countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Intelsat’s Jean-Philippe Gillet says bringing mobile connectivity to the most rural parts of Africa requires hybrid networks.

AMN provides a network-as-a-service (NaaS) solution to help mobile operators expand their networks into remote and rural areas.

It funds, builds and operates the ultra-rural network for the operator, enabling them to extend their coverage with minimal opex and capex risk, grow their subscriber and revenue base, and better serve all their customers.

At the core of AMN’s solution is what’s claimed to be a low-cost, small cell solution that is powered by a highly reliable solar-based system that can be rapidly deployed and installed in less than six hours.

As part of its long-term agreement with Intelsat, AMN will leverage what it describes as “the power, performance and efficiencies” generated by the company’s EpicNG high-throughput satellites, as well as its 23 other satellites that cover the continent.

AMN reckons this will provide the optimal balance between coverage and high-throughput for the enabled sites.

Once installed, the sites will connect over the Intelsat fleet to the core of the mobile operator’s network and deliver 2G services with the ability to upgrade the base stations to 3G and 4G according to data demand.

Intelsat believes that bringing mobile connectivity to the most rural parts of Africa requires hybrid networks and innovative business models to truly close the business case.

Jean-Philippe Gillet, the company’s VP and GM of broadband, says:

“By investing in and partnering with AMN, we can rapidly, and cost effectively expand an MNO’s reach and deliver critical connectivity to communities who many thought were impossible to connect.”

AMN CEO Michael Darcy adds:

“Intelsat shares our view that mobile coverage is not spreading quickly enough and as such, invested in AMN’s vision of installing a cell site in every African village.  Together, we can accelerate the deployment of mobile connectivity and work to ensure that communities, wherever they are located, have equal access to high quality, sustainable and affordable broadband connectivity.”