Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) has been awarded a strategic five-year outsourcing contract to optimise, modernise and manage Zain’s over 3,000 multi-vendor mobile networks sites in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Under the contract, Nokia Siemens will also implement its Energy Solutions within the Zain network to reduce operating costs and power consumption. It’s off-grid site suite combined with Energy OPEX management are key components included in the deal. The company’s energy solutions and energy OPEX management is expected to drive OPEX savings over 5 years while enabling reduction of the carbon footprint of the network.
As part of the agreement, approximately 350 Zain employees who work on networks operations in the three East African countries are planned to transfer to NSN.
In addition, Nokia Siemens will also provide optimisation services and deploy its new mobile softswitching and subscriber data management offerings. It will deploy 2G and 3G radio networks with the Flexi Multiradio Base Station, opening an evolution path from 2G and 3G to LTE with a software upgrade needed.
According to NSN, the agreement will further strengthen Zain’s competitiveness as it will take over complete responsibility for network operations, allowing Zain to focus on activities core to its business.
Joerg Erlemeier, head of the Middle East African region at Nokia Siemens Networks, said: “This deal is unique as it’s the first mobile network outsourcing contract in East Africa and with this we are able to capture strategic market share in the managed services arena that further strengthens our leadership position in this business.”
