Telecom Namibia has signed a N$100 million fixed-mobile convergence agreement with Huawei in an effort to modernize its core network.
The agreement, forms part of the telco’s 2023/27 integrated strategic business plan, in which Telecom aims to achieve digital transformation.
The business plan, slated for the period 2023 to 2027, focuses on raising funds for network modernization and digital transformation initiatives and projects, including accelerating its investment programs for high-speed broadband and mobile network rollout.
To fully achieve its goals, Telecom needs about N$2.4 billion.
The Huawei agreement, is the second major digital transformation and network modernization agreement the company has signed since agreeing to the N$327 million Operations Support Systems and Business Support Systems (OSS/BSS) billing system with the Spanish company SATEC earlier this year in June.
“As part of Telecom Namibia’s commitment to replacing obsolete technologies and embracing the digital era, the service to be delivered by Huawei will play a pivotal role in achieving the network modernization objective aimed at enabling the 4IR. Telecom Namibia will benefit from operational efficiency, as the implementation will streamline Telecom Namibia’s operations, resulting in improved efficiency. With a unified system in place, Telecom Namibia can provide faster and more reliable services to its customers. The network’s agility and flexibility enable Telecom Namibia to respond quickly to customer demands and deliver innovative solutions,” Telecom CEO Stanley Shanapinda said.
“Fixed-mobile convergence is a major advance in telecommunications that removes the distinctions between fixed and mobile telecommunications networks. In doing so, fixed-mobile convergence provides a superior experience to customers. It does this by creating seamless services, using a combination of fixed broadband and local access wireless technologies, to meet customer needs in homes, offices, other buildings, and on the go.”
In addition, Shanapinda said Telecom is confident that the successful implementation of the fixed-mobile convergence network is anticipated to accelerate the digital transformation efforts, enabling Telecom to provide cutting-edge telecommunications solutions.
“This is a huge investment in our network and highlights the company’s commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements and delivering exceptional services to its customers,” he said.
Huawei MD Michael Zhang said the agreement will not only complement Telecom’s network stability but also add significant value to its current offerings.
“Telecom Namibia will now be able to compete effectively in the highly competitive telecommunications space alongside other industry players. We are confident that our collaboration with Telecom Namibia will be highly successful and will bring significant benefits to Namibia’s ICT sector. We look forward to more cooperation in other areas in the future and are excited about the endless possibilities that lie ahead for Telecom,” said Zhang.
