Telecom network vendor Ericsson today announced its 4G LTE managed services contract with Smile Communications.
This is the first 4G LTE managed services deal in Sub-Saharan Africa, said Ericsson. The telecom deal will cover Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria and later the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
As per the five-year multi-country managed services agreement, Ericsson will provide a managed end-to-end service including network operations, performance, optimization, field support and maintenance for Smile’s LTE networks.
This managed services contract extends Ericsson’s relationship with Smile in Nigeria, where Ericsson is Smile’s sole vendor for 4G networks.
Tom Allen, group COO of Smile Communications, said: “We regard Ericsson as more than a vendor, we are long term partners focused on delivering on the Smile promise to be the broadband provider of choice in Africa and to ensure that our customers fully benefit from the internet world.”
