Under the terms of the agreement, GDS will be able to specify, supply and install ip.access small cell solutions to its operator customers. The agreement covers ip.access’s range of 3G femtocells and enterprise picocells, as well as its 2G picocell which is the world’s most widely deployed small cell solution.
The small cell solutions are used by mobile operators to both improve mobile coverage in hard to reach areas and also increase network capacity in busy locations. The equipment can be deployed in homes, offices, shopping centres, business parks or at street level to improve network performance and increase customer satisfaction.
Announcing the agreement, Jamie Cave VP sales EMEA at ip.access, said: “The African market presents many challenges in terms of mobile network coverage and performance and we are delighted to be able to work with a partner with excellent knowledge of the region and a strong track record of success. We believe that the emerging African market will be a hotbed of small cell deployments and we look forward to working with GDS in the vanguard of these developments.”
GDS boasts a range of tier one and challenger operator clients across the region, and also works with blue chip enterprises and multi-national corporations based on the continent.
Claudette Thorne, business development director at GDS, added: “Our aim is to build capability, functionality and sustainability in our customers' networks. Working alongside ip.access and its world-leading range of small cell systems will increase our ability to deliver solutions that help the operator and the end-users get the most from their services.”