ZTE partners with Airtel to boost digital transformation of voice network in Africa

Global leader in telecommunications and information technology, ZTE Corporation, has won the bid of the network virtualization reconstruction project from Airtel Congo-Kinshasa again, assisting Airtel Africa in evolving the traditional TDM gateway office to the IP-based and virtualized gateway office. The partnership this time further boosts the digital transformation of the voice network in Africa. Since 2015, ZTE has been in cooperation with Airtel Africa to help it complete wireless network construction and core network virtualization. 

In 2016, ZTE provided its virtualized IP gateway office products for the seven branches of Airtel Africa, including Niger, Kenya, Madagascar, Gabon, Seychelles, Malawi, and Zambia. Through the unified high-performance infrastructure, the IP-based interconnection and interworking among networks and the virtualized transformation of the voice network can be realized.

In 2017, ZTE continued to provide its vCS products for the six branches of Airtel Africa, including Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, Niger, Madagascar, and Gabon, to replace the old equipment from other manufacturers in the existing networks and upgrade their networks. 

In 2020, ZTE built the first commercial VoLTE network based on vIMS for Airtel Kenya. In spite of the influence of COVID-19 and the complexity of the existing networks, it took only 20 days to complete the equipment provisioning and made the first call, which sets a good example for the other branches of Airtel Africa. 

Through its widely compatible and highly flexible solutions, rapid customization, and response capabilities, ZTE can achieve fast interconnection and interworking with voice networks in multiple application scenarios such as 2G/3G/4G/5G network, fixed network, and PBX network in the same IP gateway office. Based on an open ETSI NFV architecture, it is convenient to be integrated with various third-party components. 

To date, ZTE, in the long-term cooperation with global operators, has accumulated rich experience in different manufacturers’ interconnection and cloudified deployment. Moving forward, ZTE will continue to work closely with Airtel Africa, and help it achieve the overall digital transformation of the voice networks and smooth evolution to 5G network with ZTE’s leading solutions, high-quality products, and efficient delivery capability.