Ericsson and MTN connect remote areas with solar power in Benin

Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC, news, filings) and MTN will provide affordable and reliable mobile broadband services to remote rural areas in Benin that have limited or no connectivity.

Under the deal, Ericsson will support MTN Benin’s planned rural coverage across 29 sites with energy-efficient three-sector dual-band Radio 6626 and compact microwave radio MINI-LINK products from the Ericsson Radio System portfolio, as well as Enclosure 6140 containing among others lithium-ion batteries and Solarshelf. All the sites will run sustainably on 100 percent solar and battery power, running on clean and reliable energy sources and reducing carbon footprint

The rural coverage solution from Ericsson also includes Managed Services, which will incorporate the provision of preventive and corrective maintenance activities for the tower sites on top of a range of other elements. These services – alongside the innovative tower engineering that ensures each site is easy and cost-efficient to deploy, re-deploy as needed and is 100 percent salvageable – means the deal will bring significant total cost of ownership (TCO) benefits to MTN Benin.

Combined, the Ericsson technology and services comprising the deal will support MTN Benin by enabling efficient and flexible broadband coverage to remote areas of the country, thereby driving a more inclusive digital economy.

Uche OFODILE, CEO of MTN Benin says: “As everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life, we need to ensure that “everywhere we go” across Benin country our populations, whether in rural or urban areas have access to our network. Expanding mobile broadband services across Benin, and in rural areas in particular, is a vision we share with Ericsson. By bringing connectivity to Benin’s communities, we ensure MTN’s contribution to the digital economic development, empowerment of the local population, and strengthening of the network infrastructure in Benin.”

Hossam Kandeel, Vice President and Head of Global Customer Unit MTN and Customer Unit MTN Africa at Ericsson, says: “In today’s interconnected world, access to reliable and affordable mobile broadband services is critical for social and economic progress. By working alongside MTN Benin to bring affordable and reliable mobile broadband services to rural areas of the country, we aspire to bridge the nation’s digital divide and create a more resilient and prosperous future for the continent. Rolling out solar solutions, as we are doing with MTN Benin, promotes greener site solutions and reduces environmental impact supporting MTN’s Road to Zero Carbon emissions, a pledge which Ericsson joined and expressed commitment to in 2022”