Telkom Kenya, Rakuten Symphony and Airspan have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will see the organizations collaborate to undertake knowledge transfer and testing of Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) technology on the African continent. The collaboration will comprise knowledge transfer, development and testing with 4G and 5G technologies within Kenya.
Telkom Kenya is keen to benefit from knowledge transfer, development and testing of open and flexible network architecture with a view to enhance the use of automation and AI-powered technologies to be at the forefront of the development of homegrown technologies through collaborations with international market leaders.
Open RAN technology is an advanced version of the traditional Closed RAN technology where mobile network operators typically rely on a single vendor for all their network equipment. Open RAN is more flexible, allowing any hardware or software from different vendors to interoperate seamlessly and securely, significantly lowering operational and capital expenditures in the long-term. It is also favoured due to its potential to modernise networks by improving service quality and widening coverage, especially in rural areas where deploying infrastructure can be challenging. Globally, the adoption of this technology is increasing due to the demand for more innovative wireless communication solutions and a collaborative vendor ecosystem.
Rakuten Symphony and Airspan will be responsible for overseeing partners within the testing. Rakuten Symphony will supply the centralized unit and distributed unit infrastructure, along with its industry-leading OSS platform, while Airspan will supply 4G and 5G radio units and the mobile core. Telkom Kenya will provide the required local resources and facilities.
Mugo Kibati, Chief Executive Officer, Telkom Kenya, said, “Telkom Kenya is excited to collaborate in this consortium of cutting-edge technology leaders in this field of open architecture telecommunications network, and reap the benefits of modern and ultimately inevitable technological advances such as AI. We are proud to be investing in the development of our people through the collaborative testing capabilities that we will be building within this consortium to explore the possible benefits of Open RAN in our mobile network.”
Sharad Sriwastawa, President, Rakuten Symphony, said, “Our diverse portfolio of solutions delivers proven positive outcomes for mobile network operators across the world. We look forward to bringing Rakuten Symphony’s proven global expertise in mobile network transformation to support Telkom Kenya’s commitment to innovation.”
Glenn Laxdal, President and CEO, Airspan, said, “Telkom Kenya’s collaboration with this consortium to explore the latest telecommunication advancements reflects bold innovation to place Kenya at the heart of Africa’s technological leadership within the region. Airspan is proud to support this vision with advanced 4G/5G solutions, alongside Rakuten Symphony, whose expertise as the one of world’s largest commercial Open RAN vendors ensures impactful results.”
Rakuten Mobile, in collaboration with Rakuten Symphony, will apply the achievements obtained from the “Research and Development Project of the Enhanced Infrastructures for Post-5G Information and Communication Systems”, subsidized by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
Also Read: Navigating Africa’s Digital Future – Insights from Mugo Kibati, CEO of Telkom Kenya
