Cell C, which has 7.6 million subscribers, is working on artificial intelligence (AI)-driven technologies that will enable it to seamlessly transfer customers from Vodacom to MTN and back again.
The mobile network operator, which has just been bought out by Blue Label and is set for a JSE-listing, currently does not have a timeframe for the implementation of this solution.
However, Cell C chief technology officer Schalk Visser tells ITWeb: “It's in progress, and what we've seen thus far, it's positive and it's exciting… It’s not years away.”
Visser explains that AI − which he says has become somewhat of a “swear word” − will transfer packets from one of its roaming partner’s networks to the other without delays or breaks in connectivity.
This is not currently possible on what he says is “traditional” roaming, as this requires a device such as a smartphone to “lose that network”. As a result, subscribers would have to manually switch back.
It’s complicated
The operator has embraced a “capex-light” model, which means it no longer invests in infrastructure, but rather roams on Vodacom and MTN networks. Vodacom and MTN spend billions each year on network infrastructure, such as 4G and 5G site deployments and upgrades.
Roaming currently creates complexity when it comes to implementing seamless transfers between the two top mobile network operators as they have, between them, around 28 000 sites. “There are just too many neighbour relationships and handovers that will have to take place,” which would result in lower output, he adds.
Cell C’s capex-light model, introduced in 2021, resulted in it either selling or disassembling 5 500 sites, as it would not be sustainable for it to fund a project that would allow it to catch up with its biggest competitors in terms of network equipment.
The operator has been through several rounds of recapitalisation efforts to raise funds for network expansion since 2012.
Cell C, which was effectively bankrupt when Blue Label invested R5.5 billion in it in 2017 for an initial 45% stake, recently reported profit before tax of R280 million, a swing of more than 200% compared to the prior year’s R9 million, in the year to May.
Its strategy to effectively operate as a virtual mobile network operator has enabled it to run virtual radio access networks on top of both MTN and Vodacom infrastructure, allowing it to have two virtual networks.
Currently, the operator manages subscriber experience and traffic by placing subscribers on either MTN or Vodacom’s networks, notes Visser.
He says what the company wants to do in future “is to say this customer has got the best experience in general, depending on if it's at home or travelling, or in the office,” on a particular network and then lock the subscriber into that network.
Data analysis
These network decisions will be based on data-driven insights collected from various sources.
This includes information from drive testing past towers to see which of its partner networks performs the best, a customer experience management platform that it deployed earlier this year, information crowdsourced from Open Signal, as well as insights from Meta companies, such as Facebook and Instagram, he says.
“Those are the four elements that we use to have insight on our customers’ experience on these two virtual networks.”
Taking this a step further will be seamless and responsive roaming, explains Visser.
“What's happening these days with AI, everyone wants to sell you AI, but that technology unlocks the ability to process massive amounts of data that we get from these sources of information that we have of our customers on their experience.”
There is already research into seamless roaming via AI, with studies showing machine learning can improve handover prediction, reduce dropped connections and enable smoother transitions across networks.
In practice, this would mean that if a subscriber drives out of Vodacom coverage, their call or data session continues on MTN, and back again, without the user noticing any interruption.
Share