Todd Ashton, Vice President and Head of Ericsson South and East Africa, and Wilfrid Aissi, President and CEO of SkyMax.

Following two years of negotiation, multinational wireless communications engineering company SkyMax Network Limited (SkyMax) and Ericsson have entered into an MoU to build a next-generation 5G broadband network, inclusive of a digital services delivery platform, across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Under the MoU, Ericsson will be SkyMax’s trusted partner for network supply, rollout, and optimisation and for managed services. SkyMax will also be able to tap Ericsson’s technologies and global deployment experience in network design, network management and market development.

Ericsson will explore partnership opportunities in end-to-end business and technology solutions including Radio Access and Mobile Transport network solutions, core network and provisioning systems, Business Support Systems, and Managed Services including Cognitive Software network optimisations and Business Consulting Support.

SkyMax intends to increase the development of broadband networks in SSA by sharing its 5G Digital Service Delivery Platform (5G DSDP) with incumbent service providers by using its 5G network slicing technologies.

The 5G DSDP is the company’s high-speed data network that offers network slicing, ultra-low latency, IOT, edge computing, cloud computing, cloud telephony and Network Exposure Function or NEF.

According to the companies, NEF enables third-party developers and enterprises to create and tailor their own network services on-demand on SkyMax 5G DSD), all of which create a host of new opportunities.

“It enables the development of the digital economy by opening up opportunities in energy and water supply management, telecommunications, transport, financial services, telemedicine (including remote surgery), e-agriculture, smart ports, remote mining, medical records management, connected cars, industrial IoT, immersive education, the integration and interoperability of communicating objects and smart electrical grids and other so-called intelligent networks, a “smart city,” and much more, all at a low service cost,” they add.

In SSA, SkyMax plans to launch SkyMax Entrepreneurship Development (SED) to develop its private 5G network for new markets and applications with limitless possibilities. SkyMax will train and certify service providers, individuals, and businesses so they can best take advantage of the value private 5G will bring to areas such as e-agriculture, smart buildings and smart cities.

These entrepreneur partners will be able to develop their own private 5G businesses on SkyMax 5G DSDP for revenue sharing. SkyMax Entrepreneurship Development (SED) will have a profound and sustained impact on economic growth and job creation.

Todd Ashton, Vice President and Head of Ericsson South and East Africa, says: “The work we have done together with SkyMax over the last two years has further convinced us that Ericsson’s continuous Research & Development focus and leadership in 5G is providing the specific solutions needed to increase economic growth and financial inclusion while accelerating adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa. We look forward to working with SkyMax Network to capture the opportunities that we can offer the region together and accelerate #AfricaInMotion.”

Wilfrid Aissi, President and CEO of SkyMax, says: “SkyMax is committed to bringing solutions to the challenges facing Sub-Saharan Africa, developing new services opportunities, and revolutionising the data-centric market in the region. Over the last two years, we have collaborated with Ericsson to bring the best offerings to Sub-Saharan Africa with a focus on accelerating 5G adoption to drive financial and social inclusion while reducing carbon dioxide emissions and increasing energy efficiency. With this MoU, we look forward to more collaboration and synergy between the two companies that will accelerate the digitisation of the region.”