Wireless Networks

Zambia’s state-owned telecommunications operator, Zamtel, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with tech giant Ericsson related to private 4G and 5G connectivity.

Huawei announced on Wednesday that MTN Zambia has commercially deployed the vendor’s five-band LampSite indoor 5G solution in the Mulungushi International Conference Center in Lusaka.

Brazil’s Ministry of Communications says that, following the auction of the 700MHz band, held in April by telecoms regulator Anatel and the Ministry of Communications, highway coverage will be expanded.

Tirana International Airport (TIA) has become the first airport in the Western Balkans to deploy Airbus’ airport safety solution, a solution powered by Vodafone Albania’s 5G network.

Cambodian telco CamGSM (a.k.a. Cellcard) revealed on Monday it has doubled its 5G network coverage since its initial launch in January, and is on track to double it again by the end of July this year.

Digicel Samoa announced on Monday it has expanded its nework on Savai’i with the launch of two new telecoms towers in Samalaeulu and Falelima, which it says will improve mobile and data connectivity for customers across the island.

NEC XON, a leading African integrator of ICT solutions and part of NEC, a Japanese global company, says it has reinforced its position in the African wireless connectivity market through a strategic distribution partnership with Mimosa Networks.

It is being widely reported in the African technology press that pan-African operator MTN plans to turn its African towers into an AI inference grid.

The United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has announced funding for a feasibility study to install approximately 1,500 turnkey mobile communications base stations across Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria.

Indian telco Bharti Airtel launched its 5G network slicing service for postpaid customers on Tuesday, making it the first such service in India.

Critical event management company Everbridge has announced the next phase of Estonia’s nationwide public warning modernisation initiative, adding end-to-end cell broadcast capabilities across government agencies and all three mobile network operators in the country.

Edotco Malaysia said on Friday it has deployed a new fixed wireless access (FWA) solution in Uma Lesong, Sarawak that it’s also pitching as a viable and scalable model for other underserved communities in geographically challenging areas.

Ericsson, China Mobile and Chinese handset maker Oppo revealed on Wednesday they have successfully tested network slicing at the consumer device and app level on a live 5G Standalone (SA) network.

Ericsson announced on Tuesday that Telekom Slovenije has switched on Slovenia’s first 5G Standalone (5G SA) mobile service after completing an extensive modernization and expansion of its 5G network.

MagtiCom, the largest telecommunications provider in Georgia, has selected cloud-native software company Mavenir as its strategic small cell technology partner for a nationwide small cell deployment project.

U Mobile, Malaysia’s newest 5G network provider and wholesale operator, has announced that it has added VIBE Mobile, part of the Elite Links supply chain and distribution company, to its list of strategic mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) partners.

Thai telco AIS has launched its 5G-Advanced service that leverages the 3GPP Release 18 standard, as well as carrier aggregation for faster downlinks and uplinks.

South African network planning and installation specialist Duxbury Networking has announced a new distribution partnership with Northwest Towers, a manufacturer of hardened, mission-critical network infrastructure designed for deployment in demanding environments.

Burundi’s state-owned telco Onatel has signed a US$5.9 million contract with PAFEN Burundi to deploy 4G in underserved rural communities.

The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE),  the Costa Rican government-run electricity and telecommunications services provider, has awarded a contract relating to its 5G network to tech giant Ericsson.

Malaysian telco U Mobile has partnered with Pavilion Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) to enable seamless 5G-Advanced indoor coverage in high-traffic commercial and lifestyle locations in Kuala Lumpur.

Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC) has reportedly launched Afghanistan’s first trial of 5G in Kabul, six weeks after the telco began testing the technology.

Edotco Malaysia announced on Friday that its subsidiary Vista Bumiria has been appointed by the provincial government of Terengganu as a state-backed company (SBC) to develop telecoms infrastructure.

Poland’s railway infrastructure manager, PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe (PKP PLK), is apparently close to completing the installation of a GSM-R-based system on the country’s Central Railway Line (CMK), with testing planned for later this year.

Cirpack Software and Summa Networks are deploying Voice over LTE (VoLTE) services for Vodafone Polynésie.

Operator Telecom Namibia and regulator the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) have officially entered into a strategic partnership.

Comba Telecom, a provider of wireless communication solutions, and SICOTEL Communications (SCOMM), a Moroccan telecom and ICT solutions integrator, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) linked with enabling indoor coverage.

Open RAN vendor Parallel Wireless says it has extended its collaboration with Mtel Banja Luka, Telekom Srbija’s Bosnia and Herzegovina unit, to test AI RAN technology.

UAE telco du announced on Sunday it has successfully completed a proof of concept (PoC) with Ericsson using millimeter-wave extended range technology to provide 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) in residential areas across the UAE.

Turkey officially joined the 5G era on Wednesday after the country’s three main mobile operators – Turkcell, Turk Telekom and Vodafone Turkey – launched 5G services in all 81 provincial centres.