East Africa Device Assembly Kenya (EADAK) Limited has opened this week. It’s Kenya’s first local smartphone assembly plant.

The significance of the launch didn’t evade the political classes or senior telecoms executives. President William Ruto unveiled the new plant on Monday. Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa also attended the unveiling.

Of course Safaricom has a direct interest in EADAK. As we reported in June, operators Safaricom and Jamii Telecommunication have partnered with Chinese smartphone manufacturer Shenzhen TeleOne Technology to locally manufacture smartphones. The new facility has the capacity to produce up to three million mobile phones each year.

According to ITWeb Africa, the devices will be accessible nationwide at Faiba shops (Jamii Telecommunications offers broadband and mobile services under the Faiba brand) and dealer stores, as well as Safaricom stores. It will also be available via Masoko, an online marketplace that offers buyers a wide variety of phones and accessories.

The 4G-enabled Smarta and Ultra mobile phone handsets will be the anchor devices at launch, with other devices planned for the coming months, including a locally made tablet. The first devices will cost $50.

EADAK Chairman Joshua Chepkwony, quoted by ITWeb Africa, said: “This assembly plant will contribute to the government’s agenda of increasing digital inclusion in the country. We were able to achieve affordability through a collaborative strategy that included business partnerships and beneficial government regulations.”

President William Ruto revealed plans to produce smartphones locally in December 2022 and gave his government a 12-month deadline to deliver affordable smartphones to the Kenyan market. It’s not yet clear when the first devices will reach retail but it looks like they won’t be far off that deadline.

LightRiver has long labored behind the scenes of network design and deployment for service providers across the industry.  With the rise of automation and software-driven infrastructure, they have begun to move deeper into the actual operation and maintenance of those networks as well.  With us today to talk about the company’s approach to the ever-moving target of network infrastructure design and operation is newly minted CEO Mike Jonas. … [visit site to read more]

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Epsilon’s Simon Waller

The cloud has revolutionised the way the world works, seamlessly connecting more people and businesses to the online world than ever before. … [visit site to read more]

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Two stories – from Zimbabwe and Nigeria – again illustrate the often complicated relationship between Africa’s mobile operators and its tax collectors.

In what might be good news for Zimbabwean operators – and customers – the Zimbabwean central bank has proposed removing a 2% tax on mobile money and digital transactions, saying it will boost electronic payments in the country.

Zimbabwe imposed the tax on mobile money, electronic, and bank transfer transactions in 2019.

However, as ITWeb Africa points out, the mobile money tax is proving a good source of income for the government at the moment, although operators may be heartened by the fact that not only the central bank but the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce wants an end to the mobile money levy.

There’s less (potentially) positive news for pan-African operator the MTN Group, which has been ordered to pay US$72.6 million in back taxes for the period between 2007 and 2017, in Nigeria, its biggest market.

The order was issued this week by Nigeria’s Tax Appeal Tribunal in Lagos, and follows a long-running story that began in 2021 when the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) issued a VAT assessment of US$93.5 million to MTN Nigeria in July 2021, which included US$72.5 million in principal liability and US$21million in penalties and interest on the principal sum.

Following an MTN Nigeria objection a revised assessment was issued. A second objection followed and was refused in June 2022. Now, the Nigerian Tax Appeal Tribunal has ruled in favour of FIRS and ordered MTN to settle the assessed tax liabilities.

The MTN Group is reportedly currently considering its response.

Fiber network consolidation hasn’t been as prevalent as it was a few years back, but it’s still out there. And this week we saw a deal for a significant amount of infrastructure in the Midwest. Shenandoah Telecommunications has announced an agreement to acquire Horizon Telcom. … [visit site to read more]

Lumen announced the win of a significant chunk of state government dollars yesterday. California’s Department of Technology has awarded Lumen more than $400M to build out open-access middle-mile connectivity across the state. … [visit site to read more]

Huawei, a global leader in technology and telecommunications, is propelling the industry into a new era with the announcement of the world’s first comprehensive suite of solutions for 5.5G technology.

This comes at a time when the adoption and utilisation of 5G by businesses and consumers has surged and continues expanding into new experiences, new connections, and new applications, noted Cao Ming, President of Wireless Solution at Huawei, during an International Media Roundtable at the 14th Global Mobile Broadband Forum held in Dubai in October.

This 5.5G network boasts remarkable features, including a 10 Gbps downlink, 1 Gbps uplink, a huge capacity of 100 billion-level connections, and native intelligence. “Huawei is at the forefront of innovation to ensure the solutions help operators deliver full-scenario tenfold capabilities and enable ultra-high energy efficiency, spectrum utilization, and O&M efficiency » said Cao. Speaking to journalists from across the world, Cao stressed the potential of this technology and the change it can usher into our societies.

A Network Beyond Expectations

Telecommunications companies worldwide have been deploying 5G networks at an accelerated rate, far surpassing the pace of any previous generation of mobile communications technology. Over the past five years, approximately 260 commercial 5G networks have been deployed globally, and the global 5G user base has reached an impressive 1.5 billion individuals.

The most exciting aspect of 5G lies in its capabilities, explained Cao. “The network’s strength, being ten times more potent than its 4G predecessor, is driving remarkable advancements in high-definition videos and cloud gaming. The limitations experienced during video playback, gaming, and HD video calls on 4G networks are gradually becoming a thing of the past, thanks to 5G. This represents just the beginning of 5G adoption, » he replied to a question on how 5G will benefit the gaming industry.

Indeed, with the upgrade of experiences, connections, and services, it is the time for 5.5G – a network which features capabilities of 10 Gbps downlink, 1 Gbps uplink, 100 billion-level connections, and native intelligence.

To help operators build 5.5G networks efficiently and enable full-scenario ten-fold capabilities, Huawei is releasing the industry’s first 5.5G solutions. Five fundamental technological pillars support these enhancements, explained Cao:

• Ultra-wideband: A capability to accommodate wide-range non-contiguous bands , reducing the need for deploying multiple pieces of equipment and thereby lowering deployment costs.
• Multi-band: Huawei’s solutions offer the ability to support multiple bands using one box, drastically reducing deployment costs and antenna space, which translates to lower tower rental costs.
• Multi-antenna technology: This technology significantly enhances spectral efficiency, leading to an improved user experience and reduced spectrum licensing costs for telcos.
• Energy efficiency: Innovative solutions aimed at minimizing energy consumption during varying traffic loads, ensuring a greener and more sustainable network.
• IntelligentRAN: Advanced, intelligent network management to reduce the complexity and costs associated with operations and maintenance, enhancing network efficiency and user experience.

These pillars of innovation collectively empower 5.5G networks to deliver on their promises, ensuring a future-ready, efficient, and user-centric network.

In the realm of cellular Internet of Things (IoT), two mainstream 5.5G IoT technologies, Red Cap and passive IoT, have gained traction, with module developers and chipset manufacturers actively rolling out their offerings.

Redefining User Experience

In the past, video-related services, including video calls and games, predominantly operated in 2D. However, with the advent of 5G, a shift towards 3D and extended reality (XR) services is becoming evident. “The rise of 3D services and applications will exert substantial demand on network capabilities”, noted Cao.

As 5.5G networks are set to bring robust capabilities, telcos and various businesses can broaden their scopes, providing an opportunity for content providers, device manufacturers, and chip makers to expand their business horizons and identify new revenue streams. The potential for growth and innovation in this domain is vast, explained Cao.

However, as 5G adoption continues at an unprecedented pace, concerns have arisen about the need to upgrade existing infrastructure. Cao stated that Huawei is committed to helping operators evolve their networks seamlessly to protect the investments of telcos.

Readiness of Countries

Talking about the future uses of 5.5G technology, Cao stressed that the technology is rapidly gaining momentum worldwide and is on the brink of accelerated commercialisation. « Several factors contribute to this large-scale commercialisation. Release 18, slated to be frozen next year, will mark the completion of the 5.5G specification, affirming the industry’s readiness for the imminent transition. Moreover, 5.5G chipsets and devices have already hit the market, exemplified by Qualcomm’s release of the 5G Advanced chipset with a 10 Gbps downlink capacity, » noted Cao.

Regarding spectrum readiness, 20 countries worldwide have already auctioned the millimeter wave, paving the way for substantial progress in 5.5G deployment. The sub-6 gigahertz band is scheduled for discussion and identification in November this year at the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC 23) in Dubai.

Cao noted: « The Middle East is expected to maintain its leading position in the 5.5G era. There have been many collaborations and initiatives like the MoU and innovative projects between Huawei and leading operators in the Middle East for the past one year, showcasing the region’s commitment to embracing and leveraging the potential of 5.5G technology. »

On the digital divide across geographies, Huawei realises that the development of technology is uneven in different territories. While the first wave 5G markets – including the Middle East, Europe, China, and countries in the Asia Pacific – deployed 5G nearly five years ago, countries in Africa are not at the same pace. Some critical points along the deployment journey of 5G include ecosystem maturity and market development.

Cao added that Huawei has been collaborating in different regions and hopes that through the efforts, countries and regions can enjoy the convenience brought by 5G sooner.

Empowering Industries through 5.5G

One of the pivotal aspects of 5.5G’s evolution is its transformative impact on various industries. The business-to-business (B2B) capabilities of 5G networks have already been embraced on a massive scale in the 5G era. Cao shared a few examples from China where fully connected factories are leveraging 5G to drive digitalisation within their operations.

Industries like automobile manufacturing are primed for significant enhancements, Cao stated. 5G and 5.5G technologies offer the potential to revolutionise productivity and facilitate digital transformation within the industry. “Huawei envisions a future where ICT solutions will enable automakers to build better, smarter vehicles, ensuring a seamless integration of technology into the automobile sector, » Cao said.

Huawei’s foray into the realm of 5.5G technology represents a significant leap forward for the telecommunications industry. As 5G adoption accelerates and industries continue to embrace digital transformation, the advent of 5.5G promises an even more connected and technologically empowered future.