leo lays out aggressive expansion plan in Namibia

Details: Category: Wireless Networks; 23 November 2009; 9424 views

Telecel Globe’s subsidiaries have now been rebranded under the name leo. In Namibia, the operator, previously known as Cell One, has chosen Nokia Siemens Networks to enable new services in a country offering major growth potential...

Mobile operator leo, a subsidiary of the Orascom Telecom company Telecel Globe Limited, is upgrading its mobile services to exploit the huge potential for growth in Namibia. The company has selected Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) to expand its pre-paid capability and to extend 2G and 3G network coverage to reach the majority of the country’s population. This investment will allow for the faster launch of innovative services to generate new sources of revenue, retaining and attracting new services.

leo is the new brand for all Telecel Globe subsidiaries. Namibia was the first to adopt the new brand, which is intended to be shared among all Telecel Globe subsidiaries in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Central African Republic and Burundi.

NSN is implementing the latest releases of charge@once select and charge@once mediate software to enable leo to differentiate itself from the competition through innovative targeted services and marketing campaigns. In addition the NSN services team is responsible for timely network implementation, project management, and maintenance services to “ensure fast time-to-market and maintain leo’s high standard of network quality.”

The 2G and 3G network coverage expansion is being undertaken via NSN’s award-winning Flexi Base Station, which enables faster roll-out and helps leo reduce its overall power consumption and operational costs. NSN is implementing the latest releases of charge@once select and charge@once mediate software to enable leo to differentiate itself from the competition through innovative targeted services and marketing campaigns. In addition the Nokia Siemens Networks Services team services team is responsible for timely network implementation, project management, and maintenance services to “ensure fast time-to-market and maintain leo’s high standard of network quality.”

NSN is also expanding leo’s mobile softswitching core network and providing a subscriber data management solution. The leo network is monitored, managed and optimized by the NetAct network management system.

“Over the last few years, Namibia has seen rapid growth of its mobile telephone subscriber base, and leo is credited with driving a significant share of that growth. As is the case with most developing countries however, service providers in Namibia face the twin challenges of increased competition and reduced ARPUs,” said Dirk Lewandowski, Head of Customer Business Team for NSN. “This creates pressure to generate new revenue streams through targeted service offerings. The key is identifying which services will work, delivering them to customers, and ensuring that service providers monetize the opportunity effectively. Our solutions are helping operators across the world address exactly these kinds of needs.”

NSN is also expanding leo’s mobile softswitching core network and providing a subscriber data management solution. The leo network is monitored, managed and optimised by the NetAct network management system.

* Telecel Globe is an international telecommunications company operating GSM networks in Namibia, Burundi, Zimbabwe, and the Central African Republic, with plans to expand further in Africa, Eastern Europe, the CIS and Asia. Telecel Globe is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Orascom Telecom.