Telkom Kenya has secured a $4.4 million grant from Rakuten Symphony and Airspan Networks to develop and deploy Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) technology, enhancing mobile connectivity and reducing infrastructure costs across Kenya. The announcement was made on Wednesday.
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Advancing Open RAN technology
The grant, funded by Japan and the U.S., aims to establish Kenya as a technological hub for telecommunications innovation in Africa.
Under this partnership, Rakuten Symphony will provide an Operating Support System platform and the Open RAN software stack, while Airspan will deliver 4G and 5G radio units. Telkom Kenya will contribute human capital and facilities to support the development and testing of Open RAN solutions.
Open RAN technology allows hardware and software components from different vendors to interoperate seamlessly, reducing operational and capital expenditures while improving network performance. This approach is favoured for its potential to modernise networks, especially in rural areas where deploying infrastructure can be challenging.
As Mugo Kibati, Telkom Kenya’s CEO, noted, “Telkom is pleased 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”.
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Enhancing 5G and AI innovation
The partnership also focuses on advancing 4G/5G and AI technologies tailored to Africa’s connectivity challenges. The collaboration includes setting up a testing facility for field and network tests, which will help train local developers and engineers.
Glenn Laxdal, President and CEO of Airspan, emphasised, “Airspan is proud to support this vision with advanced 4G/5G solutions alongside Rakuten Symphony, whose expertise as one of the world’s largest commercial Open RAN vendors ensures impactful results”.
The initiative positions Kenya as a global telecommunications innovation leader, showcasing its commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies to enhance digital infrastructure and connectivity.