Globacom, Huawei Sign $750m Network Modernization Contract

Globacom, telecommunications giant has signed a network modernization contract worth $750 million with emerging market telecom equipment vendor, Huawei.

Mohamed Jameel, Globacom’s group chief operating officer, who spoke at the contract-signing ceremony held at the company’s Mike Adenuga Head Office in Lagos explained that the network enhancement project was part of the tenth anniversary plan to enhance the experience of the millions of subscribers on the Globacom network.

“It is our 10th anniversary and we have been the network of choice for Nigerians because of the unprecedented manner with which we pioneered various technologies and products in the market. We are upgrading in order to continue to serve them better,” he stated.

“After 10 years in business, we decided to upscale our network ten- fold to the very latest technology in global telecommunications. The massive expansion project will involve network upgrade and overhaul of infrastructure across the country as well as expansion and densification projects that will on completion in six months enable the network to cater more for its existing and potential subscribers,” Jameel said.

Huawei expressed excitement about the opportunity given to them by Globacom to handle the network expansion project, describing it as the biggest network expansion project they have handled in Nigeria.

“This is a huge expansion project. We promise Globacom and its teeming subscribers that we will meet their expectation and deliver a network they will all be proud of. Globacom is definitely going places”, said David Fan, Huawei’s Vice President, West Africa.

He noted that Globacom and Huawei were culturally similar as global brands from emerging markets, adding that they would provide the company with LTE services that would give Globacom the comparative advantage.

Under the partnership, Globacom will build new switches, increase mobile switching centres to ease congestion and construct additional 4,000 km of optic fibre cable which will complement the existing fibre optic facility which is the most extensive fibre coverage of Nigeria.

Glo has state-of-the-art IP/MPLS and TDM technologies (30 gigabyte capacity) to meet requirements of enterprise customers, video, voice and data services.

The TDM network will also be upgraded to a fully integrated Generalised Multi-protocol Label Switching (GMPLS).

Part of the upgrade will also include installation of new base stations and densification of existing ones; setting up of three new mini call centers across the country to take care of vast increase in subscriber figures and upgrade of the radio access network which will ensure that data customers enjoy unparalleled speed and reliability.

“This is in line with our commitment to provide our customers world-class information, communication and technology (ICT) services through constant deployment of latest technologies. We will stay committed to our corporate promise at inception that Globacom would build a robust ICT network infrastructure that is comparable with the best in the world, and would consistently deliver value to its esteemed customers,” the GCOO stated.

Delivering the vote of thanks, Mrs. Gladys Talabi, Globacom’s executive director, Legal Services, said the partnership was formed to provide subscribers on the network with unlimited possibilities.