Africell announced today that it will deploy Nokia network technologies in Angola. The deal between Africell and Nokia expands the footprint of both companies in Africa and signals Africell’s intent to offer a world-class mobile network in Angola, built using the best available equipment, when it launches services by the end of 2021. By partnering with Nokia, Africell will take advantage of the latest cloud technologies to achieve cost efficiency gains from shared infrastructure, as well as improved control and flexibility which enable highly differentiated products and services.

For the first phase of its new network in Angola, Africell will use Nokia’s AirScale Single Radio Access Network (S-RAN) across up to 700 sites. The network will support 2G, 3G and 4G voice and data services and be “5G-ready” through a software update. In addition, Africell will deploy Nokia AirFrame data center solution to run cloud-based applications, microwave transmission network Wavence to support advanced packet networking, and NetAct network management system to enable consolidated network view for improved network monitoring and management. Nokia’s IP routers for access, aggregation, backhaul and core completes the solution, providing scalable backhaul and fast, reliable service deployment.

As part of the network rollout, Nokia will also deploy cloud-native Cloud Packet Core, 3G Core, Voice Core, and Registers for the voice and data core network software, enabling Africell to achieve a high degree of flexibility for responding to changing customer demands by scaling the various network functions according to the traffic experienced. As part of the core network solution, Nokia Policy Controller provides scalability and flexibility, and performance for Africell’s diverse range of services. Africell will also benefit from Nokia’s services expertise for network planning, optimization, installation and care, to help launch the services faster and ensure the highest quality of service for Africell’s customers in Angola.

Younes Chaaban, Africell’s Chief Technical Officer, said: “Africell is a competitive and highly differentiated player in the African telecoms market. Our vision is to offer superior voice and data services in an expanding footprint across the continent. To achieve this, we need reliable partners whose network technologies and support services give us the best platform from which to serve our own customers. Nokia is the right partner for us in Angola and we are excited to work with them to build world-class mobile networks here and elsewhere.”

Rajiv Aggarwal, Head of CEWA Market Unit at Nokia, said: “Africell wants to ensure the best quality of services with high-performance network from the day one. And it wants to launch services for both individual subscribers and enterprise customers with an option to deploy 5G services in the future. We are excited to provide our multi-standard Single RAN radio technology, along with cloud-native core and IP technologies to achieve Africell’s goals.”