Motorola and the GSM Association to conduct alternative power GSM cell site trial with MTC Namibia

Motorola, Inc today announced that it has signed an agreement with the GSM Association (GSMA) and MTC Namibia to conduct a trial for wind and solar power systems to support the African operator's remote GSM cell sites.

This is the first customer-based trial globally and is expected to run from April 2007 to July 2007.

The trial involves the installation of the Motorola wind and solar solution at an operational MTC Namibia cell site where the solution will become the electrical power source for the site. The cell site will remain a part of MTC Namibia's current wireless network and continue to carry the same levels of traffic.

This 'green' solution provides a feasible and efficient alternative to using fuel generators when a main grid connection is not available or it will take months or years to connect or finally, where electricity tariffs are expected to rise sharply in the next few years. Once installed, the cost of power is almost zero, and wind and solar powered cell sites require minimal maintenance unlike a fuel-driven generator which generally requires, at a minimum, a monthly visit for refuelling and they can also be heavily prone to theft. This translates into a major saving in operating expenditure (OPEX), a key factor to emerging market network operators.

Jos'e Ferreira, Managing Director of MTC Namibia, said: "We are confident that this trial will support our market growth strategy and enable us to extend our network coverage into the more rural parts of Namibia - where electricity is not always a viable option - quickly, efficiently and with a reliable solution. Motorola's innovation and design expertise will enable wind and solar solutions to be deployed in an optimal format for wireless cellular networks."

Dawn Hartley, development fund manager at the GSMA, said: "The GSMA Development Fund is pleased to have the opportunity to illustrate our proactive support for practical solutions that resolve key operator challenges in rural areas. With this alternative power solution, mobile and other wireless network operators can ensure new cell sites in more remote locations become operational faster and more cost-effectively."

Stefano Mattiello, regional sales director, Sub-Saharan Africa, Motorola Networks & Enterprise, said: "Motorola's heritage in innovative communication networks is being applied in optimising this type of solution for rural areas and it's very exciting that we have the first trial anywhere in the world here in Africa. The solution will successfully combine with other power optimisation features for GSM cell sites that are currently in development and although the trial is being done on a GSM network, the technology can be applied to any wireless network in an off-grid scenario."

This announcement follows Motorola's successful UK trial in 2006 which demonstrated the feasibility of alternative power systems to support remote GSM base stations (BTS). The trial concluded that a combination of solar cells and wind turbines can generate 1 200 watts in a continual cycle, enough to drive a mid-sized BTS and support a microwave backhaul installation.

Powering GSM cell sites in both developed and emerging markets is a challenge for operators because of the high cost or difficulty of provisioning mains electrical power. Motorola's green-powered BTS, part of the company's Reach GSM portfolio, can replace or reduce the load on mains power and can also remove the need for power generators that require continual refuelling and security.