13 March 2024
MTN Group has signed a partnership agreement with mobile satellite connectivity solutions provider Omnispace to allow it to expand its mobile offering using satellites by adding 5G services and the Internet of Things (IoT), among others.
“This collaborative effort would provide access to secure, cost-effective and ubiquitous 5G mobile connectivity by seamlessly integrating our respective satellite and terrestrial networks,” said Ram Viswanathan, CEO of Omnispace.
The solution is based on 3GPP standards and will provide non-terrestrial network connectivity to a broad ecosystem of compatible devices, products, and applications.
The initiative comes as MTN seeks to accelerate the deployment of 5G in Africa in line with its ambition to become the leading digital solutions provider on the continent. Satellite technology should allow MTN to fill the gaps in its terrestrial network, limited in particular by terrain challenges and the sparse distribution of the population in certain places.
