Orange and Vodacom have agreed to collaborate on a rural towerco partnership in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to extend mobile network coverage to underserved areas. The companies will jointly build, own, and operate solar-powered mobile base stations, with an initial commitment to construct 1,000 sites over the next six years. The project may expand to 2,000 base stations, reaching up to 19 million people in less densely populated rural communities.
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Collaboration for Broader Network Sharing
The collaboration will provide 2G and 4G connectivity, enabling access to voice, data, and mobile money services. The first base station is set to go live in 2025. Both companies will share infrastructure to optimise network deployment, and the passive infrastructure will be made available to other mobile operators.
"Orange and Vodacom will be sharing active and passive equipment owned by the joint venture as anchor tenants for an initial term of 20 years. The joint venture will offer its passive infrastructure to any MNO interested wherever technically feasible to increase usage and promote a wider range of options for the population," Orange said on Tuesday.
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The CEO of Vodacom Group emphasised the potential for socio-economic development across Africa through this partnership.
"Our longstanding presence in Africa, including over 10 years in the DRC, has equipped us with a deep understanding of the market and customer needs. Collaborating with Vodacom by sharing both passive and active infrastructure is the most effective approach to fulfilling our commitment to accelerating connectivity access for everyone, including rural areas, while minimizing our environmental footprint," said the CEO of Orange Middle East and Africa.
Orange RDC
Orange RDC, a subsidiary of the Orange Group, serves over 15 million subscribers across the country, with more than 3,400 sites, over 90 percent of which are 4G-enabled.
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DRC's National Digital Plan Horizon 2025
The initiative aligns with the DRC’s National Digital Plan Horizon 2025, adopted in 2019, which aims to foster digital transformation, boost economic growth, and improve public services. With mobile internet penetration in the country at 32.3 percent, the project is expected to significantly contribute to bridging the digital divide.
