AWCC is to increase coverage, particularly in rural areas, and provide new mobile services. NSN will modernise the operator’s 2.5G (GSM/GPRS) network and provide subscriber data management, charging and billing platforms.
Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC) plans to increase coverage, particularly in rural areas, and provide a range of new mobile services. Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) will modernise and expand the operator’s 2.5G (GSM/GPRS) network and provide subscriber data management and charging and billing platforms. As a result, more people will be able to access mobile services across the country.
With close to 17 million subscribers, Afghanistan’s current mobile penetration is around 57% (source: NSN estimate). This shows the great strides the country has taken since 2002 when there were no phones in the country*. At the same time, there remains a clear opportunity to expand into the under-served parts of the country and reach a larger segment of the rural population.
“We are committed to improving the mobile network for our people across Afghanistan. While this demanded overhauling our network to build additional capacity and introduce new technologies, we also had to protect our existing investments,” said Daniel M Florentine, Member Board of Directors AWCC. “We selected Nokia Siemens Networks as we fully trust its capabilities and expertise – the company will prepare us for a seamless transition to next-generation technologies.”
“The mobile phone – and the opportunities it brings – are becoming a fundamental right for all citizens. As in the rest of the world, people across Afghanistan want widespread access to mobile networks,” added Veqar ul Islam, Head of Sub Region East, Nokia Siemens Networks Middle East and Africa. “We can help Afghan Wireless deliver consistent services across the country and provide the required edge to outperform competition while reducing its capital and operational costs.”
As part of the contract, Nokia Siemens Networks will upgrade the operator’s radio network with its energy-efficient Flexi Base Station and Flexi Base Station Controller to deliver increased capacity, connectivity and uninterrupted services. The small size and reportedly low energy consumption of these units are said to make them highly suitable for operation in remote, rural areas. AWCC will also benefit from lower operational costs with the deployment of integrated packet-based transport capability that supports increased voice and data traffic on the installed base of network connections. In addition, the operator’s energy costs will be reduced as a result of swapping outdated mobile switches with state-of-the-art mobile softswitches.
Nokia Siemens Networks will also roll out its subscriber data management solution, including its One-NDS centralised subscriber repository so that AWCC can easily generate insights on end-user behaviour to develop services catering to the specific needs of different users. The telecom suppliers’ charge@once billing platform will improve AWCC’s time-to-market for new and targeted marketing campaigns and combine services across pre-paid and post-paid subscribers. In addition, Nokia Siemens Networks will deliver a complete range of professional services, including network implementation, care and system integration.
* Source: Statement by Afghanistan’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, June 2010
