The recommendations aim to accelerate the development and rollout of ICT and next-generation connectivity across the continent and follows the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formed between the ATU and Ericsson to support Africa in becoming a knowledge economy.
“The launch of these recommendations is a joint effort aimed at expediting the roll-out of ICT-driven technologies for the development of digital economies in Africa,” said John OMO, secretary general at ATU.
The recommendations include awarding radio spectrum in a quick, reliable and cost-effective way to support affordable, high-quality delivery of ICT services and drive smart technology initiatives.
Other include recommendations that licensing should be technology neutral and allow for service innovation. That countries should enable spectrum sharing by giving licensees the right to share spectrum voluntarily through means such as trading and national roaming agreements
And that countries are encouraged to adopt a licensing approach aimed at promoting the right mix of low, mid and high-band radio spectrum. As a result, all communications service providers have access to spectrum amount and type to support various use cases and enterprise and customer demands
“Fostering agility and innovation from next-generation ICT infrastructure is important for Africa’s growth and sustainability,” said Fadi Pharaon (pictured), president of Middle East and Africa at Ericsson.
“However, to maximise this opportunity, spectrum management strategies highlighted in the recommendations need to be implemented.”
Through the collaboration, Ericsson and the ATU have committed to working closely with stakeholders across Africa to implement the aforementioned recommendations.
The ATU is a specialist agency of the African Union that focuses on boosting the growth of ICT in Africa. The full list of spectrum recommendations is available on the Ericsson website.
Earlier this month, Ericsson reported strong financial results for the first quarter of 2021.
