Africa’s largest mobile network operator designates IP Infusion as approved supplier for open, disaggregated networking

Anthony Laing, General Manager of Networking at NEC XON. (Image: NEC XON)

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IP Infusion, which positions itself as a global leader in open networking solutions, announced today that MTN Group, Africa’s largest mobile network operator, has selected several organisations, including IP Infusion, to service its newly formed Open and Disaggregated Networking Category – Software. This approval comes alongside three other vendors, and through partnership with NEC XON, a leading African integrator.

“Disaggregation drives down costs, enhances innovation and allows network operators like MTN to make independent hardware and software choices, ultimately making connectivity more accessible and affordable to the people across Africa that need it most,” said Anthony Laing, General Manager of Networking at NEC XON.

Founded in 1994, MTN Group is one of the largest mobile network operators in the world, serving 280 million customers across 16 markets. As a member of the Telecom Infra Project (TIP), the company contributes to standardising critical networking technologies, including software-defined networking (SDN) for transport, open optical and packet transport (OOPT), disaggregated distributed backbone router (DDBR), and disaggregated cell site router (DCSG) streams.

MTN Group selected IP Infusion as a software provider for the Open Transport and Disaggregated category following a successful request for proposal process. The goal is to leverage open and disaggregated technologies to reduce capital expenditure and drive operational cost efficiency.

“By adopting open and disaggregated networking, we’re able to enhance the flexibility and efficiency of our network infrastructure,” said Lloyd Mphahlele, General Manager of Group Technology at MTN Group. “This approach not only drives innovation but also allows us to better serve our customers by improving service delivery and expanding access to the latest digital solutions. Our goal is to ensure that the connectivity we provide continues to meet the evolving needs of the communities we serve.”

“IP Infusion has always been the market leader in open networking solutions,” said Atsushi Ogata, President and CEO of IP Infusion. “We are 100% committed to servicing the open networking market, as it is a core value of our founding. Software-based networking and routing and switching are as relevant today as ever.”