In a groundbreaking partnership, France’s Orange Telecom and South Africa’s Vodacom Group have announced a joint initiative to expand mobile coverage in underserved regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) using solar-powered mobile base stations.
This collaboration marks the first rural tower company (towerco) partnership of its kind in Africa. It aims to provide vital telecommunications and mobile financial services to millions of people in less densely populated areas, addressing the gap in connectivity and fostering digital inclusivity.
Expanding Connectivity for Socio-Economic Growth
Currently, mobile internet penetration in the DRC stands at just 32.3%, leaving large rural communities without access to essential digital services. Vodacom’s DRC operation already serves over 21 million customers, and this initiative aims to extend connectivity to an additional 19 million people in remote regions.
Shameel Joosub, Vodacom Group CEO, emphasized the transformative potential of the partnership:
“We have the opportunity to significantly contribute to the continent’s socio-economic development by building a digital society and fostering inclusivity for all. This aligns with our purpose to connect for a better future.”
Project Details
The partnership plans to deploy up to 2,000 solar-powered base stations over the next six years. The initial phase will see the construction of 1,000 sites, with the potential to scale up to an additional 1,000 towers.
The base stations will utilize 2G and 4G technologies, ensuring robust voice, data, and mobile financial service capabilities. Notably, these towers will be operator agnostic, allowing multiple providers to share the infrastructure.
The joint venture also includes a 20-year agreement where both Orange and Vodacom will act as anchor tenants, sharing active and passive equipment to minimize costs and environmental impact.
A Sustainable Approach to Connectivity
This initiative reflects a shared commitment to sustainability, with the use of solar power minimizing the environmental footprint of the new infrastructure. Orange Middle East and Africa CEO Jérôme Hénique highlighted this aspect, stating:
“Collaborating with Vodacom by sharing both passive and active infrastructure is the most effective approach to fulfilling our commitment to accelerating connectivity access for everyone, including rural areas, while minimising our environmental footprint.”
The rollout is expected to begin this year, with the first solar-powered tower coming online shortly.
A Win for Africa’s Digital Future
The partnership underscores a larger trend of collaborative efforts in Africa’s telecom sector, where companies are pooling resources to bridge connectivity gaps in rural areas. For Orange, which operates in eight African countries including Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria, this collaboration adds another strategic foothold in the continent’s telecom space.
For Vodacom, it aligns with its goal of building a digital society and expanding its presence in the DRC, a market with significant growth potential.
Conclusion
As the first large-scale rural towerco project in Africa, this partnership between Orange and Vodacom sets a precedent for sustainable, inclusive digital development. With mobile connectivity being a cornerstone for economic growth and access to services, this initiative will play a pivotal role in transforming lives in the DRC’s underserved regions.
