Airtel Africa has announced a strategic partnership with Nokia to develop a high-capacity terrestrial fibre network spanning East and Central Africa.
The project, unveiled at AfricaCom’s 28th edition, aims to connect multiple countries and link submarine cables to terrestrial infrastructure, significantly enhancing digital connectivity across the continent.
This ambitious initiative will leverage Telesonic’s existing fibre assets and subsea cable systems to support the growing demand for wholesale data, fostering economic growth and improving quality of life for African communities by providing affordable, reliable digital infrastructure. A key component of the project involves connecting the 2Africa subsea cable to Africa’s terrestrial networks, ensuring robust and cost-effective connectivity.
The deployment will utilize Nokia’s 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS) platform, capable of supporting up to 38Tbps of data transfer. The high-capacity DWDM network, built with Nokia’s cutting-edge Photonic Service Engine (PSE) technology, comprises 139 nodes distributed across multiple countries. The system is C+L Band Ready to support future capacity expansion and will play a vital role in delivering high-speed connectivity and cloud-based services.
Razvan Ungureanu, Chief Technology Officer of Airtel Africa, emphasized the importance of the upgrade, stating that Nokia’s 1830 PSS platform will enable the company to handle increased webscale traffic efficiently while laying the foundation for transformative growth across the continent. PD Sarma, CEO of Airtel Africa Telesonic, described the partnership as a milestone in advancing Africa’s digital infrastructure, with the new network poised to empower communities, support businesses, and drive economic development.
Samer Lutfi, Nokia’s Head of Growth Group for Network Infrastructure in Middle East & Africa, expressed pride in collaborating with Airtel Africa Telesonic on this transformative project. He highlighted that Nokia’s reliable DWDM technology is designed to foster success for regional enterprises and accelerate digital transformation efforts, reflecting a shared commitment to connecting communities and promoting progress across Africa.
