Tracey Townshend, key accounts executive at NEC XON.

American Tower Corporation (ATC) Uganda has chosen NEC XON equipment to support its tower infrastructure and ensure consistent access to internet services.

ATC, which possesses an extensive network of tower infrastructure across Uganda, leases space to major carriers like MTN. The network, supporting millions of users, must remain operational at all times.

With the deal, NEC XON will provide hardware, including remote terminal units (RTUs), while ATC manages the software component.

In a statement, NEC XON said its vendor-agnostic hardware was extensively tested and approved alongside the previous incumbent’s RTU, which had been in use for 12 years.

“ATC needs constant remote and comprehensive visibility of all tower sites. Tower companies can face high operating costs to ensure sites remain operational, and a reliable RTU ensures visibility and up-to-the-minute live data,” said the company.

It went on to say: “Managing power, understanding which power source is in use, knowing when to refuel diesel generators at tower sites, knowing what expertise is needed at a site due to visibility and timeous reporting of faults and maintaining a workforce to meet service level agreements with carriers are critical components of managing these tower sites.

“Understanding equipment failures through smart meters, sensors, and IoT technology with effective bidirectional communication is crucial. A remote monitoring system was required to optimise costs and improve preventive maintenance.”

To this end, NEC XON said using its units, ATC can view and collect data, measure fuel consumption, and determine whether a site is powered by solar, generator, or fuel.

This capability enables proactive site management and maintenance, helping ATC to in some cases pre-empt and address outages before they occur, said the company

“Phase 1 was awarded in June 2021, with rollout starting in December 2021,” said Tracey Townshend, key accounts executive at NEC XON. “Hundreds of sites have been implemented.”