As enterprises and service providers navigate the complexities of modern connectivity, MEF is accelerating the adoption of Network-as-a-Service (NaaS). Artificial intelligence’s (AI) integration with NaaS is advancing this shift, enabling service providers to drive new business in meeting the emerging demands of enterprise.

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As we step into 2025, the telecom landscape in Sub-Saharan Africa presents both significant opportunities and challenges. In an exclusive interview with Telecom Review, Rajiv Aggarwal, Head of Sales, Sub-Saharan Africa, Cloud & Network Services at Nokia, reflects on key takeaways from 2024, the growing role of automation and AI, the escalating importance of security, and the trends set to shape the telecom industry in 2025. His insights offer a roadmap for navigating this rapidly evolving market.

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is at the forefront of innovation and global digital transformation, delivering next-generation digital services to enterprises and consumers. du, one of the country’s leading telecom and digital service providers, has demonstrated its commitment to advancing the 5G Advanced innovation and UAE’s digital landscape.

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Sparkle, the first international service provider in Italy and among the top global operators, and Telecom Namibia, the national telecommunications operator, have signed an agreement for provision of capacity services on the Equiano subsea cable connecting Portugal to South Africa, with the common objective of accelerating Namibia's digital transformation journey.

Wholly owned by the Government of the Republic of Namibia, Telecom Namibia runs the largest digital telecommunication network in the country, serving more than 619,000 customers with a wide portfolio that includes voice, text, data, and video solutions.

In an exclusive agreement, Sparkle will provide Telecom Namibia with capacity services on the Equiano submarine cable, thus ensuring a diversified, low latency route between Africa and Europe, supporting Namibia's digital development and the growing demand for data from neighboring countries.

This partnership offers a diversified, high-capacity route for data transmission, reducing latency and enhancing network resilience, thus ensuring uninterrupted service continuity also in the event of outages on the SAT-3 and WACS cables. The resulting high-speed connectivity will empower businesses and government institutions to accelerate digital transformation initiatives, fostering economic growth and propelling Namibia towards a knowledge-based economy.

Concluding the agreement, Telecom Namibia CEO Dr. Stanley Shanapinda said: “We are thrilled to partner with Sparkle to leverage the Equiano cable's advanced capabilities. This strategic alliance underscores our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional connectivity solutions to our customers and fostering Namibia's digital transformation. The Equiano cable's high-speed, low-latency connection will serve as a catalyst for innovation and economic growth across the nation.”

“We are very pleased with this agreement with Telecom Namibia which confirms our shared vision on the importance of international connectivity to support the digital growth of the country,” said Enrico Bagnasco, CEO of Sparkle. “We are also proud to see how our infrastructure on Equiano is proving crucial for the evolution of the telecommunications sector in the African continent.”

Sparkle is the leading global Tier-1 operator in Africa, thanks to its Seabone IP backbone, boasting extensive coverage in the continent, a wide network of Points of Presence (PoPs) across North Africa, Nigeria, South Africa, and Djibouti, as well as fiber capacity on the Equiano subsea cable.

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