INTELLIGENT CLOUD
Safaricom taps VMware to build a greenfield network in Ethiopia
S afaricom Telecommunication Ethiopia Plc , a part of an international consortium dubbed Global Partnership for Ethiopia , has selected VMware as its Telco Cloud Platform partner .
The move comes after Safaricom Ethiopia Plc was granted the second Unified Telecommunication Service License in July 2021 . Currently , Safaricom Ethiopia is building a telecom network for commercial launch and to contribute to Ethiopia ’ s Digital Transformation and inclusion objectives .
Pedro Rabacal , Chief Technology Officer , Safaricom Ethiopia , said : “ Building a worldclass network in Ethiopia will unlock its economic potential as well as build a positive future for people across the country . We aim to contribute to the country ’ s Digital Transformation and inclusion for Ethiopians working with our partners . VMware Telco Cloud Platform will provide a robust platform for the deployment all network functions while also enabling flexibility as we scale and expand services .”
VMware Telco Cloud Platform enables service providers to rapidly deploy and efficiently operate multi-vendor CNFs and VNFs with agility and scalability across 5G and other networks that span from the core and the Edge to the radio access network ( RAN ). Safaricom intends to deploy the platform across both its IT environments and telco network in Ethiopia .
In addition , the VMware Telco Cloud Platform is a modernisation solution that will help Safaricom Ethiopia Plc to deploy cloud-native and virtual network function consistently , at web-scale speed , and without disruption .
The platform utilises microservices to run cloud-native applications and CNFs together . It simplifies a service provider ’ s Kubernetes operations for multi-cloud deployments with centralised management and governance . In addition , it helps telcos to take advantage of the cloud-native principle to rollout 5G networks with Multus , Topology Manager , and Kubernetes cluster automation tailored for telco use cases .
Sanjay Uppal , Senior Vice President and General Manager , Service Provider and Edge , VMware , said : “ This project is unique as Safaricom Ethiopia does not need to contend with legacy technology and architectures . It has an opportunity to build something special from the ground up . We are honoured to play an integral role in the creation of a network that will transform Ethiopia as we know it today .”
Safaricom Ethiopia is a purpose-led technology and communication company committed to contributing to Ethiopia ’ s Digital Transformation and inclusion agenda . According to the company , the Global Partnership for Ethiopia comprises of Safaricom Plc , Vodacom Group , Vodafone Group , Sumitomo Corporation and CDC Group . The consortium was awarded a licence to operate telecom services in Ethiopia in July 2021 , which saw the birth of Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia PLC . •
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