Airtel Africa and Nokia Forge Partnership to Build High-Capacity Fiber Backbone
Telesonic’s New Network Will Deliver 38 Tbps Capacity, Connecting 14 Countries and Subsea Cables
Airtel Africa, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services across 14 African countries, selected Nokia to construct a transformative, high-capacity terrestrial fiber network spanning East and Central Africa.
This new network will power Airtel Africa’s cutting-edge fiber service, Airtel Africa Telesonic.
Crucially, the strategic project aims to connect multiple African countries and link subsea cables to terrestrial networks, significantly enhancing digital connectivity across the continent.
This infrastructure directly contributes to boosting economic growth and improving the quality of life for communities by providing affordable and reliable digital infrastructure.
Specifically, the project will connect the 2Africa subsea cable to Africa’s terrestrial networks, ensuring affordable and reliable connectivity.
Consequently, by leveraging Telesonic’s fiber assets and subsea cable systems, the initiative expects to meet the growing demand for wholesale data in Africa, fostering economic growth and development.
Nokia Technology Powers Massive Data Capacity
Nokia’s technology will enable the network to support up to 38 Terabits per second (Tbps) for fast data transfer. The system uses Nokia’s 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS) platform and is C+L Band Ready to enhance its capacity.
Furthermore, this infrastructure will play a critical role in high-speed connectivity and delivering cloud-based services.
The Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) network consists of 139 nodes and spans multiple countries, powered by Nokia’s high-speed coherent Photonic Service Engine (PSE) technology.
Airtel Africa’s Chief Technology Officer, Razvan Ungureanu, stated: “Deploying Nokia’s 1830 Photonic Service Switch platform is a pivotal upgrade to our network infrastructure across Africa. This will enable us to provide greater capacity and high-speed connectivity to efficiently handle webscale traffic. With Nokia’s Photonic Service Engine powering our DWDM network across multiple countries, we are setting the stage for transformative growth and new opportunities throughout the continent.”
Airtel Africa Telesonic’s Chief Executive Officer, PD Sarma, also commented: “Our collaboration with Nokia is a significant milestone in advancing Africa’s digital infrastructure. By leveraging Nokia’s cutting-edge fiber-optic solutions, we aim to meet the escalating demand for data across the continent. This network will drive economic growth, empower communities, and create new opportunities for businesses and individuals alike.”
Shared Commitment to African Digital Transformation
In addition to building Africa’s digital infrastructure, this project highlights Telesonic’s commitment to empowering businesses, education, and healthcare in Africa.
Samer Lutfi, Nokia Middle East & Africa’s Head of Growth Group for Network Infrastructure, affirmed the partnership: “We are proud to partner with Airtel Africa Telesonic in this ambitious project to enhance digital connectivity across Africa. Our advanced DWDM technology, with its high capacity and reliability, is built to help enterprises succeed in their mission to spark digital transformation and economic growth in the region. This project is a reflection of our shared commitment to connecting communities and driving progress.”
Airtel Africa operates across these 14 African countries:
Kenya
Chad
Congo (Brazzaville)
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Gabon
Madagascar
Malawi
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Seychelles
Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia.
