Telkom Kenya engages global partners for Open RAN testing
Telkom Kenya, Rakuten Symphony, and Airspan signed a Memorandum of Understanding this week, committing to working together to share knowledge and test Open Radio Access Network technology.
The collaboration will include knowledge transfer, development, and testing of 4G and 5G technologies in Kenya.
Telkom Kenya stated that it is eager to benefit from knowledge transfer, development, and testing of open and flexible network architecture, with the goal of improving the use of automation and AI-powered technologies.
Rakuten Symphony will provide the centralised and distributed unit infrastructure, as well as its OSS platform, and Airspan will deliver the 4G and 5G radio units and mobile core. Telkom Kenya will supply the necessary local resources and facilities.
Commenting on the partnership, Telkon Kenya's CEO, Mugo Kibati, stated that the company is looking forward to benefiting from alliances that would enhance its offerings.
He said: “We are proud to be investing in the development of our people through the collaborative testing capabilities that we will be building within this consortium to explore the possible benefits of Open RAN in our mobile network."
“Telkom Kenya’s collaboration with this consortium to explore the latest telecommunication advancements reflects bold innovation to place Kenya at the heart of Africa’s technological leadership within the region,” added Glenn Laxdal, president and CEO, Airspan.
Sharad Sriwastawa, president of Rakuten Symphony, said his team is looking forward to provide expertise in mobile network transformation to help Telkom Kenya's enhance its commitment to innovation.