Reliance is partnering with Anand Mahindra's Tech Mahindra and Finnish multinational telecommunications company Nokia for this venture.
Ghana is poised to roll out 5G services within the next six months, bridging the digital divide and transforming lives and businesses through high-speed mobile data. The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, expressed inspiration from India's digital infrastructure and low-cost mobile data model. Ghana aims to replicate this success by rapidly expanding 5G services across the country.
Next-Gen Infrastructure Company (NGIC) , which has the Ghanaian government, Ascend Digital, and K-Net as stakeholders, will be involved in this initiative. NGIC is the first neutral 5G shared infrastructure provider in Africa. It has been awarded Ghana's first 5G license and aims to build and operate a nationwide 4G/5G network.
NGIC plans to invest around Rs 1661 crore over three years to scale up its 4G and 5G networks in Africa. This investment will help mobile operators optimize costs by sharing infrastructure resources.
NGIC'S CEO, Harkirit Singh, announced plans to launch its wholesale 4G/5G Network as a Service within the next six months. The company aims to deliver affordable mobile broadband services to all Ghanaians and eventually expand to other parts of Africa.
Radisys, a subsidiary of RIL, will offer NGIC its own 5G software stack. Jio Platforms Ltd’s 5G stack uses Open radio access network technology and gear for delivering 5G-based fixed wireless access (FWA) services in African markets, starting with Ghana.
Anand Mahindra promoted Tech Mahindra is tasked with developing a Cloud-Native Core Network, leveraging platforms from leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMS). This core network will be a critical component in delivering high-speed data access to Ghana people.
Nokia, a global leader in telecom technology, brings its expertise in mobile broadband technology to the table. Nokia will contribute to supporting the establishment of an open-access network model designed to spur innovation and create economic opportunities in Ghana.
Radisys, a global leader in open telecom solutions, was acquired by RIL, in June 2018, to bolster its offerings in the telecom sector, particularly in areas like 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT). The acquisition was at a price of US$1.72 per share in cash, which amounted to a total deal size of approximately $74 million.
Headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon, with an engineering team based out of Bengaluru, India, Radisys has been instrumental in providing disruptive open-centric software, hardware, and service capabilities that enable the migration to next-generation network topologies.
This collaboration of RIL, through its subsidiary Radisys, with Tech Mahindra and Nokia aims to enhance telecom capabilities and digital experiences in Ghana and potentially other African countries.
Mukesh Ambani, Asia's richest man and the head of Reliance Industries Ltd., has set his sights on Africa with an ambitious telecom venture with the goal of winning mobile broadband customers in a high-growth market of Africa, and Radisys plays a crucial role in this.
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