In its bid to expand its services to unnerved areas across its operating markets including Nigeria, MTN group is in talks with several satellite services providers including Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Specifically, the company said there is an ongoing engagement with SpaceX’s Starlink, with enterprise-grade trials underway in Rwanda and Nigeria.
In addition, MTN said multiple initiatives are underway, including upcoming direct-to-cell trials with Lynk Global in South Africa and Ghana.
The company is also having discussions with providers like AST SpaceMobile for trials in Nigeria and South Sudan. “In parallel, we are advancing discussions with Eutelsat OneWeb for a planned pilot in South Africa,” it added.
Announcing the strategic partnerships via a statement, MTN Group chief technology and information officer Mazen Mroué, said: “At MTN, we are inspired by our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life. We are driven to deliver on our Ambition 2025 strategic intent of ‘Leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress’.
“Time is of the essence, so we recognise that we cannot do it alone. Partnerships are essential. In recent years we have helped narrow coverage gaps in rural areas by collaborating with several rollout partners and by deploying new technology using OpenRAN.
