"Radisys, Backed by Reliance, Joins Consortium to Establish Telecom Network in Ghana"

Reliance-backed Radisys has formed a consortium called Next-Gen Infra Co (NGIC) to establish a 4G and 5G network for the Government of Ghana. The consortium includes key partners such as Nokia, Mahindra Tech, Ascend Digital, K-NET, and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), AT Ghana and Telecel Ghana.

“The creation of a shared NGIC is critical for developing affordable, high-speed data access for the people of Ghana and helping achieve their dream of 100 percent Digital Ghana by 2030. We are inspired by India’s digital infrastructure and low-cost mobile data usage and keen to replicate it with Ghana,” said Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister for Communications and Digitalization for the Republic of Ghana.

NGIC will collaborate with MNO partners to launch affordable 4G/5G-enabled smartphones in Ghana by the end of this year. The initiative aims to enhance the lives of Ghanaians by driving digitalization in education, healthcare, and payment transactions, thereby reducing the digital divide and setting an example for the rest of Africa.

As part of the Reliance Industries family, Radisys enables service providers to transform into digital experience providers through open platforms and solutions. This includes digital endpoints, access and core solutions, and applications, all supported by expert lifecycle services for scalable, high-performance networks.

Tech Mahindra and TCS are among several players working to set up indigenous networks using Open Radio Access Networks (Open RAN) technology. Open RAN offers a flexible approach for building mobile networks, allowing smaller providers to enter the market without needing extensive resources to manage the entire RAN ecosystem.

Mohammad Ghaddar, COO of Telecel Ghana, stated, “The network as a service model will create diverse network options for all telecom operators in Ghana. The implementation of NGIC with the right partners will enable Telecel to leverage their infrastructure to deliver enhanced connectivity, better coverage, and innovative services to our customers.”

This collaboration with the Government of Ghana promotes the establishment of an indigenous network through a pioneering Public-Private Partnership. Tech Mahindra aims to bring cost efficiency to the Ghanaian telecom market by building a Cloud Native Core Network and OEM platforms.

According to NGIC Executive Director Harkirit Singh, the organization plans to invest $145 million in infrastructure development in Ghana over the next three years. While Reliance has no ownership stake in NGIC, the consortium is reportedly open to granting Reliance shares if the Indian giant is willing to accept equity instead of cash as future payment.

HBL