Ericsson has signed a five-year multi-country managed services agreement to manage Smile’s 4G/LTE networks across all its operations. The agreement covers the operations of Smile – a 4G/LTE operator – in Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo.
Under the agreement, Ericsson will provide a fully managed end-to-end service that includes network operations, performance, optimisation, field support and maintenance.
The contract is an extension of Ericsson’s relationship with Smile in Nigeria, where Ericsson is Smile’s sole vendor for 4G networks.
Tom Allen, group chief operating officer of Smile Communications said, “We regard Ericsson as more than a vendor, we are long term partners focused on delivering on the Smile promise to be the broadband provider of choice in Africa and to ensure that our customers fully benefit from the internet world.”
Fredrik Jejdling, president Ericsson sub-Saharan Africa added, “We are excited to be delivering this service to Smile as it further extends our partnership with the operator in the region. Bringing with us our expertise as global HSPA and LTE leaders, this partnership enables Smile Communications to focus even more on the core business of delivering superior products and services that cater to the needs of its subscribers, whilst at the same time improving operational efficiency.”