Nokia and Sudatel are to trial Nokia 4.5G Pro, 4.9G and 5G mobile technologies along with Nokia's fixed Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) portfolio to enhance the mobile and residential broadband experience in Sudan.

According to a statement released to the media, the collaboration will focus initially on the capital city of Khartoum.

Sudatel is said to be transforming its fixed access and mobile service offerings, according to its 2020 Strategy.

"The company wants to enhance the subscriber experience on any device, in the home and on-the-move with high-speed delivery of voice, data and video and fixed and mobile packages, as well as e-government, e-health and other consumer and business services," reads an excerpt from the statement.

It is reported that Nokia and Sudatel will conduct several different use-case tests using Nokia fixed and mobile technologies in Nokia Laboratories in Espoo, Finland and Antwerp, Belgium.

With an initial focus on enhancing mobile data services in Khartoum, the companies will evaluate how the 5G-ready AirScale radio access portfolio, can increase capacity and speeds while also providing a path to 5G in the future.

In addition, Sudatel will leverage Nokia's passive optical networking (PON) fibre solutions to enhance the residential broadband experience.

The companies will conduct a high-speed fixed technology trial in Khartoum, starting in July.

Tarig Zain El Abdein, President and CEO of Sudatel Telecom Group, said: "Sudatel is pleased to sign this strategic technology partnership with Nokia for the development of leading ultra-broadband services in Sudan and contribute to enhancing the Broadband Development Index. Bringing Nokia's technology expertise and innovations to Sudan is very strategic for us in the execution of our vision of becoming the most admired ICT provider in Africa."

Pierre Chaume, head of North & West Africa at Nokia, said: "Working together with Sudatel, we can leverage technologies that will support Sudatel's 2020 Strategy of becoming the most admired ICT provider in Africa, and enable them to deliver the services that meet the growing business and personal demands of their subscribers."

In February this year Sudatel Telecom Group and Liquid Telecom announced a partnership to build FTTH networks across Sudan.

"Our partnership with Liquid Telecom will enable us to provide a high-quality FTTH network which will help uplift people's lives through our region's economic development," said El Abdein.

Comparable to similar networks deployed in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya and Rwanda by Liquid Telecom, the new FTTH networks in Sudan will deliver speeds initially up to 100Mbps, which is expected to transform the way Sudanese businesses and consumers experience and use the Internet in the country.