5G and beyond – the future of mobile networks
09 July 2021
Jaco du Toit, Head of Sales for Mobile Networks SAV at Nokia
While the pandemic is far from over in most countries, the effects of COVID-19 have rocked countries and industries, serving as a catalyst to accelerated digitalisation, and creating new operating models across verticals. As enterprises and industries embrace this new way of doing business, traditional operating models continue to evolve into what has been deemed the new normal.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is also no longer a dream – as organisations digitalise in all shapes and forms. It has become a reality overnight, forcing CSPs to re-evaluate their operating models to support the increased demand driven by a sharp growth in demand for reliable connectivity to enable video conferencing, remote working capabilities, and access to remote education and telemedicine.
Find out more Mauritius launches first satellite
02 July 2021
Mauritius became the latest African country to have a presence in space, following the successful launch of a CubeSat – MIR-SAT1 on board the SpaceX Falcon 9 from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, USA.
MIR SAT, which stands for Mauritius Imagery and Radiotelecommunication Satellite, is a nano satellite (a term reserved for any satellite with a mass from 1kg-10kg. Once it is deployed and begins orbiting Earth, the ground station at the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC) in Ebene will be able to contact it a few times a day.
Data the MRIC receives will help the Indian Ocean nation with disaster management and prevention. The ground station will also allow the receipt of data and telemetry from other satellites.
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Intelsat partners with local DRC firm
02 July 2021
Intelsat has partnered with local business HCI to deploy its Intelsat CellBackhaul service from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Out of the more than 49 million people that live in remote or rural regions of DRC, more than 32 million live in an area without a minimum of 3G.
“With an increasing number of businesses and people relying on internet access to operate, communicate or access education or health services, connectivity is not just an option anymore -- it’s a necessity,” Nathan Dahan, country manager, DRC, Intelsat told Southern African Wireless Communications. “At Intelsat, we’re continuously working on developing and implementing new ways to address the need for broadband and mobile connectivity. With Intelsat CellBackhaul, Mobile Network Operators in the DRC overcome the technical and economic challenges often associated with traditional, terrestrial backhaul deployments for rural coverage. They can quickly and efficiently expand their coverage - even in the most remote areas.”
Find out more Ghana set for enhanced internet access
18 June 2021
The Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) and broadband infrastructure provider CSquared have made an agreement that will involve leasing of the former’s excess fibre capacity to mobile network operators and internet service providers in the west African nation.
According to local reports, the agreement will enable the deployment of broadband infrastructure to deliver high-speed data services to businesses and homes, with a particular focus on remote areas.
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