Airtel Uganda, Avaya partner to enable remote work, learning in Uganda as organisations close to curb COVID-19 pandemic

In quick response to the Ugandan government’s decision to limit access to offices, and schools and universities to curb the spread of COVID-19, Airtel, Uganda's leading provider of prepaid, postpaid mobile and 4G services, has partnered with Avaya Holdings Corp (NYSE: AVYA) to enable organisations in the country to implement remote working and learning initiatives.

Through the partnership, Avaya will offer organisations in Uganda full-feature access to its flagship collaboration app, Avaya Spaces, on a complimentary basis, through Airtel Uganda. Avaya Spaces is a cloud meeting and team collaboration solution that goes beyond integrating chat, voice, video, online meetings and content sharing.

“We fully support the range of measures being taken by the government to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, we understand the challenges that these measures bring to the delivery of services and education. Our partnership with Avaya supports key sectors by enabling organisations to maintain the safety of workers, students and customers as their top priority, while ensuring minimum disruption to everyday business,” said Airtel Uganda Managing Director, VG Somasekhar.

“We have invested in building out the country’s most advanced telecommunications network as an enabler of business continuity. Today, this investment will support the continued delivery of services and ensure that the economy continues developing, regardless of a lack of physical offices or classrooms.”

Recognised for its ease and speed of implementation, Avaya Spaces works on all Android and iOS smart devices and can also be securely accessed on personal computers and laptops via Chrome or Firefox browsers. With obvious use cases for schools, it enables teachers and administrative staff to reliably communicate with parents, students and each other to minimise learning disruption amid the school closure.

Using the app, students will be able to participate in virtual classrooms from any location, with the ability to download study materials and send assignments to teachers electronically.

Businesses too will benefit from the new offering, as the app allows employees to hold virtual meetings, share documents and manage tasks, and establish dedicated digital forums where teams can engage non-stop on specific projects.

Since January, Avaya has seen an increase of more than 3 000% in video collaboration traffic on the Avaya Spaces platform. Several hundred universities, schools and other organisations worldwide have engaged Avaya to gain the connectivity and collaboration capabilities Avaya Spaces provides as they address the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic.

Thousands of businesses have also moved online with Avaya Spaces, using the app to conduct virtual events, launch magazines, keep teams engaged, and enable business continuity.

“As the COVID-19 crisis has developed, we have reacted quickly and decisively in providing collaboration technology on a complimentary basis to help those most affected. We are proud to be able to do the same in Uganda in partnership with Airtel Uganda, which has shown its commitment to social obligations. Together, we aim to help Ugandan organisations minimise the disruption caused by COVID-19 and begin building a brighter future,” said Fadi Hani, Vice-President – Middle East, Turkey & Africa, Avaya.

Airtel Uganda also recently announced reaching a milestone of 2 000 network masts across the country. With the availability of this countrywide 4G LTE connectivity, students and teachers can access the app seamlessly.