Development in Africa has been held
back by the limitations of traditional infrastructure in power and mobile
networks. Rural areas are the worst affected. A case in point is Rwanda,
Encouraging, though, is that Rwanda is
a country that has demonstrated its understanding of the benefit of
connectivity, in particular as regards social and economic growth. According to
Dr. Vanu Bose, President and CEO of Vanu, Inc., “Rwanda is the
leading country in Africa in terms of their vision for the use and deployment
of Information and Communications Technologies, and they want no citizen to be
left behind.”
Through its innovative approach to
finding technology solutions, Vanu Inc. USA has established a subsidiary, Vanu
Rwanda, which has deployed a solution that provides remote populations with the
same levels of connectivity enjoyed by citizens in the world’s most developed
markets. To date there are ten sites on air and, by the end of 2017, there
will be a total of 376 sites covering approximately one million people in
unserved areas of rural Rwanda. With Vanu Inc’s service, Rwanda will be the
most connected country in Africa.
Providing connectivity in rural areas
is challenging. But Vanu, an innovator in cellular networks, has
developed a technical and business model which addresses the challenges of
sustainably delivering connectivity to remote areas. Vanu has licensed
spectrum from the Rwanda Utilities and Regulatory Organization to provide 100%
solar enabled wholesale services to mobile network operators seeking to deliver
services directly to hard-to-reach consumers. These innovations make it viable
for Vanu Rwanda to support people who spend less than one dollar a month on
mobile services.
The first operator to use the Vanu
service is Airtel Rwanda. Commenting on the development, Marketing Director for
Airtel Rwanda, Moses Abindabizemu, says, “Airtel is committed to reaching rural
populations. Vanu has provided us with a solution that works for us because it
extends our coverage, increases our market share and generates additional
revenue with no capital requirements.” In this model, Vanu covers opex while
the carrier gets a share of revenue. Bose explains that this model means that,
“Vanu has taken the complexity out of what is an involved situation.
“Our collaboration with Airtel is
exciting as it enables us to make communications technology available in a way
that can have a transformational impact on the future of Rwanda and the
country’s role in today’s information-driven global economy. The service is
available to all other carriers in Rwanda who share the same commitment to
reach rural areas.”
Vanu is a pioneer in software-based
RAN solutions for areas that cannot be served profitably with existing
technologies. Vanu has leveraged innovative new technologies that make it
affordable to extend the type of mobile coverage enjoyed in developed
economies. Recognizing the unique nature of its offering, Vanu Inc has expanded
to offer the design, building and operation of these networks as a service.
Vanu Inc’s coverage as a service is capable of economically delivering coverage
and capacity to these markets for the first time. The provision of connectivity
to under-served markets is a crucial means of driving socio-economic growth and
providing access to the resources and opportunities of today’s digital economy.
Bose explains the long-term vision of
the project: “Although we will soon reach a million people in Rwanda, we are
focused on replicating what we have done in Rwanda to reach the next 3 billion
people globally who lack the connectivity that so many of us take for granted.”
