Today’s telecom news includes announcements on Telecom Namibia, Finnfund, MTN, Ericsson, Mistral AI, among others.
Telecom Namibia Launches Major Rural Tower Expansion
Telecom Namibia plans a significant investment of over N$163.4 million (about US$10.2 million) to expand telecommunications infrastructure in northern rural areas, particularly Kavango West. The state-backed operator intends to build 46 new communication towers, increasing sites from nine to 55 and boosting network coverage in one of the least connected parts of the country. CEO Stanley Shanapinda revealed the initiative at a regional stakeholder conference, noting the rollout is in early planning and will require detailed site surveys. The company also expects to spend around N$20 million annually on operations and maintenance for these sites.
Powering Connectivity: $5M Solar Telecom Surge in South Sudan
Finnfund has committed a USD 5 million follow‑on investment in Communication & Renewable Energy Infrastructure (CREI) to scale up solar‑hybrid energy for telecom infrastructure in South Sudan, backed by the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus under the Africa Connected programme. The financing will modernise and expand solar‑powered hybrid systems for 499 MTN South Sudan sites, improving reliability and digital access for over 4 million users, while national network coverage has grown from about 69 percent to 80 percent. The shift from diesel to clean energy cuts carbon emissions, lowers pollution, and boosts connectivity in rural areas, enhancing access to information, education, healthcare, and financial services.
Ericsson and Mistral AI Join Forces to Supercharge 6G and Network Automation
Swedish telecom giant Ericsson and French AI developer Mistral AI have announced a strategic collaboration to advance 6G research and enhance network automation using artificial intelligence. The partnership will combine Mistral AI’s cutting-edge model customization capabilities with Ericsson’s global R&D and network expertise to address high impact use cases such as automating legacy code translation, developing AI assisted tools for 6G research, and building bespoke AI agents for complex workflow tasks. Both companies will co-develop AI agents tailored to Ericsson’s data and engineering environments to speed software delivery, improve resilience, and boost overall network performance.
SHAFANA FAZAL