Airtel has partnered with Ericsson to deliver a new, nationwide LTE 800 MHz network to meet growing customer demand for mobile broadband services while delivering superior network performance. This is Airtel's first commercial LTE network in Africa.
The agreement includes equipment, software and support services, as well as incorporating multi-standard radio base station equipment from the Ericsson RBS 6000 family, LTE RAN software and upgrading existing 2G and 3G access network software.
The network is expected to cover 10,000 LTE subscribers in the first phase and will greatly enhance connectivity giving Airtel's customers an improved smartphone experience, with faster web browsing, downloads and improved quality of service.
Amadou Dina, Country Manager, Airtel Seychelles said: "We are committed to enriching the lives of our subscribers, this means putting the customer experience at the heart of everything we do. LTE transforms the mobile-broadband user experience, providing superior data speeds needed for services such as internet TV, mobile video-blogging, online video games and the mobile office-environment. As a leading telecom service provider, this is a service we are very proud to offer our customers and Ericsson is our partner in delivering this."
Fredrik Jejdling, Head of Ericsson Sub-Saharan Africa said: "This further demonstrates our commitment to our long term strategic business relationship with Airtel. The deployment of the next generation mobile network across the Seychelles will enable subscribers to enjoy an enhanced mobile experience and reliable services, and will facilitate new exciting opportunities for business, society and people in the country."