Ericsson and MTN Group have agreed to modernise the core network of MTN’s affiliates in South Africa and Nigeria over five years in line with MTN Group’s MTN Unified Cloud Acceleration (MUNA) principles and objectives.
The MTN Group in a statement indicated that the agreement was recently concluded, where the companies agreed on key strategic priorities and collaborations, underscoring both companies’ shared vision and commitment to fortify their long-term partnership.
According to the telecoms operator, building on existing and successful partnerships for cloud-native core network deployment with Ericsson in both countries, the modernisation will ensure the readiness of MTN Nigeria’s and MTN South Africa’s network infrastructure to enable 5G standalone in the future.
It stated that the modernised core networks would be powered by Ericsson’s cloud-native dual-mode 5G Core, and will enable MTN Group to achieve its objectives in Nigeria and South Africa of delivering innovative solutions for both consumers and enterprises in Africa.
Commenting on the deal, MTN Group Chief Technology and Information Officer, Mazen Mroué, said: “We are embarking on a strategic transformation program to modernise and upgrade our core network infrastructure, signifying a commitment to enhancing network performance and efficiency in respective markets. This collaboration is a key milestone for our Ambition 2025 to set new benchmarks in connectivity excellence, leveraging cuttingedge technologies to deliver superior customer experiences and innovation.”
In his remarks, MTN Nigeria Chief Technical Officer, Mohammed Rufai, clarified that the modernisation efforts in Nigeria aligned with national broadband goals and MTN’s strategic objectives.
Rufai said: ”The network upgrade is geared towards enhancing our core network. When completed, it will further accelerate broadband penetration in alignment with the Federal Government’s Broadband plan. This expansion is also in line with our strategic priorities – building the largest and most valuable platforms, driving industry-leading connectivity operations, creating shared value and accelerating portfolio transformation.”
Similarly, the telco’s South Africa Chief Technology Officer, Rami Farah, expressed optimism that MTN South Africa’s modernisation journey would significantly benefit from the partnership with Ericsson.
He expatiated: “Ericsson has been MTN SA’s network infrastructure partner for several years. This new partnership is an extension of what has been achieved by both parties over the years. The partnership will enable MTN SA to modernise further and upgrade the core mobile network in line with MTN Group Unified Cloud Acceleration principles and objectives which will ensure the readiness of our network infrastructure to support the strong data growth and enable 5G standalone in the future.”
From Ericsson’s perspective, the partnership with MTN Group is a testament to a shared ethos of innovation and progress.
The representative of Ericsson, who is also the Vice President and Head of Global Customer Unit MTN and Customer Unit MTN Africa at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, Hossam Kandeel, projected: “Our partnership with MTN Group is based on innovation and progress. Together, we are shaping the future of digital connectivity in Africa with the modernisation of MTN Nigeria and MTN South Africa’s core networks. We aim to drive this influence across the entire continent, ensuring technological advancement and bringing communities closer in the digital age in line with Ericsson’s #AfricaInMotion vision.”
Industry experts foresee that the MUNA principles and objectives are pivotal to MTN’s PACE technology strategy to accelerate the execution of MTN’s Ambition 2025 by transforming MTN’s network infrastructure into a modern, agile, and cloud-native core network. This transformation will empower MTN to offer innovative services to its customers, enhancing operational efficiency, driving growth, and enabling a better customer experience.
