IBM Smarter Computing solution powers Viettel Cameroon 3G

Telecom service provider Viettel Cameroon has tapped IBM Smarter Computing solution to enable Cameroon’s 3G infrastructure. IBM is winning several small IT deals with telecom operators. (Can IBM retain Airtel IT deal worth $2 billion? )

Under the IT deal, Viettel Cameroon will provide the IT infrastructure for new mobile services with capacity of handling approximately ten terabytes of data, and to managing the company’s billing and CRM systems.

The new IT platform based on IBM System x servers, IBM Smarter Storage systems and IBM DB2 software will help provide integrated mobile services to new Cameroonian subscribers.

The solution includes IBM System x3850, x3650 and BladeCenter HS23 servers, IBM Storwize V7000 storage systems, operating with Linux OS and using IBM DB2 software.

“This agreement marks our significant commitment to Cameroon — the second market in Africa we have invested in,” said Phung Van Cuong, CIO of Viettel Group.

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Viettel Group invested more than $400 million in Cameroon. The Group aims to expand to another 10-15 countries to cover a market of one billion users by 2020, with an average revenue growth rate of 20 percent per year, IBM said on Tuesday.

Cameroon is an important market for Viettel Group. Pyramid Research says integrated 3G data service has the potential to attract up to six million new subscribers by 2017.

Last year, the government of Cameroon granted a new license allowing Viettel Cameroon to become the third mobile-phone operator to provide 2G and 3G services. Viettel Cameroon will have a network covering 81 percent of Cameroon.

“The IBM Smarter Computing solution we are implementing will unleash new types of services in Cameroon,” said Viettel’s Phung Van Cuong. “Those include things such as making a video call while surfing the Internet, playing interactive games with friends  wherever they might be, chatting online, connecting to multimedia apps through tablet devices, or paying for utilities or parking.”

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