US-based Open RAN solution provider Parallel Wireless has announced reaching a milestone of deploying 1,500 sites in Africa. In an update this week regarding its rollout progress, the company said it partnered with regional telecommunications providers and governments in countries including Nigeria, Tanzania, Guinea Conakry, Ghana, South Sudan, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Malawi to deploy hybrid networks tailored to the needs of specific regions within their borders.
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Unique Challenges
Parallel Wireless is bringing communication to regions that were previously unable to access standard and high-speed mobile networks. The company acknowledges that expanding mobile connectivity throughout Africa poses a unique challenge due to unreliable or inaccessible sources of electricity and challenging landscapes that make physical access difficult.
Rural and Urban Coverage
The solutions provided by Parallel Wireless include 2G and 3G for rural areas, and 2G and 4G for urban and suburban areas. Alongside the Open RAN solution, the company also provides full turnkey solutions, encompassing transmission, power, towers, and the management of deployments and operations.
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"Our extensive and complex deployments were successful due to our familiarity and experience with the region, which helped us navigate the complex environmental challenges and lack of resources in these areas," said Parallel Wireless.
"By extending modern networks throughout these territories, and leveraging multiple technologies, a large population will experience a stronger network, bringing them into a new era of reliable connectivity."
Open RAN
Open RAN, which stands for Open Radio Access Network, is a network architecture that aims to disaggregate traditional RAN (Radio Access Network) components by using open and interoperable standards.
In a traditional RAN, the hardware and software components of the network infrastructure are often tightly integrated and supplied by a single vendor. In contrast, Open RAN promotes using multiple vendors to construct mobile networks, reducing dependence on a single vendor, enhancing flexibility in network deployment, and potentially lowering costs.
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Parallel Wireless says it is not only proving this concept at scale but also preparing networks for future 5G upgrades across Africa. These 1,500 sites provide opportunities for residents not only to connect with families but also to leverage new technologies that will improve their day-to-day lives.
