MTN, Ghana’s leading telecommunications services provider, has received an Engineering Business Management award in recognition of its 4G LTE project execution at the Engineering Excellence Awards 2016.
The event was organized by the Ghana Institute of Engineers to recognize valuable contributions and extraordinary performance in all aspects of the engineering profession. MTN Ghana received the award for successfully rolling out an operational 4G LTE network to customers of MTN in Ghana in record time. Upon acquisition of the 4G LTE license in December 2015, MTN successfully had the soft launch of the 4G LTE in March 2015 and launched fully in June.
MTN commercially launched its 4G LTE services on 21st June in all 10 regions of Ghana after it acquired the 4G LTE 800MHz spectrum license in December 2015. This year, MTN has spent $96 million on network and information systems including the rollout of the 4G network. The launch of 4G LTE technology by MTN makes it the first mobile telecommunications operator in Ghana to offer 4G service. MTN customers can access 4G LTE on their mobile phones as well as mifi devices, dongles and many more devices. Since launch, MTN has deployed 474 sites in all ten regional capitals and some district capitals in Ghana.
Speaking on the award, the Chief Technical Officer of MTN Ghana, Mohammed Rufai, said, “MTN embarked on the 4G LTE project to create a distinct customer experience and provide superior data services to its customers. The project is also in line with our vision to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world. We are glad the investments are contributing to improved data speed for businesses and customers.”
“MTN Ghana will continue to make significant investments in our network to provide enhanced coverage and customer experience as well as create unlimited opportunities for our over 18 million customers,” he added.
MTN has the widest, most robust 2G, 3G and 4G coverage across Ghana, thanks to its investment strategy and a dedicated technical Team. MTN has since 2006 invested over $2.5 billion into network and information systems to improve coverage and enhance capacity. The company has also invested in the West African Cable System (WACS) which changed the face of MTN’s service delivery in the country.
MTN Ghana also pioneered implementation of High Speed Packet Access (HSPA+) mobile broadband systems in the 900 MHz band (UMTS900) in Africa, in order to make quality data available to many rural communities. Significant investments have also been made in deploying an advanced IP/MPLS (Internet Protocol/ Multi-Protocol Label Switching) network to increase transmission speed, improve network redundancy and capacity, thereby positioning the company for unrivalled network quality and efficiency.
The Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA) is a prestigious event with an increasingly significant interest from members and the public. It recognizes the valuable contributions that individuals and organizations make to inspire their continued involvement and those of others, and to promote the key role of the engineering profession in public life.
