Radisys, a part of Reliance Industries, has entered into a collaboration with the Government of Ghana, Nokia, Tech Mahindra and other companies to form the Next-Gen Infrastructure Company (NGIC), which will deliver Africa’s first 4G & 5G shared mobile broadband services across Ghana.

May 27, 2024

Radisys, a part of Reliance Industries and global leader in open telecom solutions & digital services, has entered into a public private partnership with the Government of Ghana, Ascend Digital, K-Net and MNOs in collaboration with strategic technology partners Radisys, Nokia and Tech Mahindra, to deliver affordable mobile broadband across Ghana.

As per a release issued by Radisys, the Government of Ghana, Ascend Digital, K-NET, Radisys, Nokia, and Tech Mahindra, with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) AT Ghana and Telecel Ghana, announced their partnership on a new shared infra Next-Gen InfraCo (NGIC).

This collaboration aimed to deliver affordable 5G mobile broadband services across Ghana. The NGIC has been awarded a 5G license and is expected to launch 5G services across Ghana within the next six months, followed by expansion to other parts of Africa.

NGIC will be the first 5G mobile broadband shared infrastructure entity to build a nationwide 4G/ 5G network in Africa.

Watch: RR Kabel | Solar Cables | Solar Plant | Renewable Energy

The company will also work with MNO partners to launch affordable 4G/5G-enabled FWA CPEs and smart phones in Ghana within this calendar year.

The partnership aims to enhance the lives of Ghanaians by introducing digital services in education, healthcare, and digital payment transactions through P2P (peer-to-peer), P2M (peer-to-merchant) and M2M (merchant-to-merchant) systems, thereby reducing the digital divide and promoting financial inclusion.

Additionally, the multiplayer partnership will support NGIC in the entire deployment of network infrastructure and associated services, as communications service providers (CSPs) are looking to address enterprise and consumer markets with enhanced digital services. To achieve this, Tech Mahindra will build a Cloud Native Core Network powered by leading OEM (original equipment manufacturer) platforms.

Also Read: First-Ever: Google Connects Africa to Australia With Umoja Fibre Optic Cable

NGIC plans to adopt India’s successful model of affordable handsets, digital platforms, and localized content and applications. The goal is to replicate this high-speed mobile data model across Africa, beginning with Ghana.

Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister for Communications and Digitalization for the Republic of Ghana, said, “The creation of a shared 5G Mobile Broadband Infrastructure is critical for delivering affordable, high-speed data access to the people of Ghana and help achieve our Digital Ghana vision. The creation of NGIC as a neutral, shared platform, accessible to all mobile network operators and tower companies, will help to expand 5G services rapidly across the country. We are inspired by India’s digital infrastructure and low-cost mobile data usage and keen to replicate it in Ghana.”