Technology solutions provider Avaya has partnered with Airtel Uganda to make available Avaya Spaces, a cloud meeting and team collaboration app, at no charge.

Avaya Spaces works on all Android and iOS smart devices and, according to the company, can also be securely accessed on personal computers and laptops via Chrome or Firefox browsers.

The Ugandan government has directed that access to offices, and schools and universities be limited to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The companies believe education – more specifically schools – represents an obvious use case, along with use in business.

Using the app, students will be able to participate in virtual classrooms from any location, with the ability to download study materials and send assignments to teachers electronically.

Businesses too will benefit from the new offering, as the app allows employees to hold virtual meetings, share documents and manage tasks, and establish dedicated digital forums where teams can engage non-stop on specific projects.

Airtel Uganda Managing Director, V.G Somasekhar, said: “We fully support the range of measures being taken by the government to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, we understand the challenges that these measures bring to the delivery of services and education. Our partnership with Avaya supports key sectors by enabling organisations to maintain the safety of workers, students and customers as their top priority, while ensuring minimum disruption to everyday business.”

“We have invested in building out the country’s most advanced telecommunications network as an enabler of business continuity. Today, this investment will support the continued delivery of services and ensure that the economy continues developing, regardless of a lack of physical offices or classrooms.”

According to Avaya, since January it has seen an increase of more than 3,000% in video collaboration traffic on the Avaya Spaces platform.

Fadi Hani, Vice President – Middle East, Turkey & Africa, Avaya, said, “As the COVID-19 crisis has developed, we have reacted quickly and decisively in providing collaboration technology on a complimentary basis to help those most affected. We are proud to be able to do the same in Uganda in partnership with Airtel Uganda, which is has shown its commitment to social obligations. Together, we aim to help Ugandan organisations minimise the disruption caused by COVID-19 and begin building a brighter future.”