Airtel Africa has deployed the Radio 6626, launched in April 2021 by Ericsson. The dual-band three-sector radio, ready to provide 5G and an efficient network, has been deployed in Niger. The speciality of the radio is that it reduces energy consumption while delivering a state-of-the-art performance. Airtel Niger will be able to see significant energy reductions and operating expenditure savings as this radio from Ericsson is able to combine three sectors and two frequencies in a single radio unit. Ericsson said that field results of this radio had demonstrated a reduction in power consumption of greater than 60%. Along with this, it is also great for nature as there would also be 0.4 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year and a 60% reduced weight on the tower. Airtel Niger will be deploying the radios and enjoy significant site upgrades and accelerated time-to-market of various services, said Ericsson. In addition, Airtel Niger will be able to enhance the outdoor and indoor coverage of all mobile generations with this radio. Abdellatif Bouziani, Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Niger, said, “This collaboration with Ericsson is a big step in our mission to build a future-proof and a more sustainable network in Niger. With the deployment of Ericsson’s Radio 6626, we will be able to reduce operational expenditures significantly with lower power consumption, better site design, and with fewer radios without compromising network performance.” Ericsson said that this collaboration is its latest effort to bring sustainable growth and economic development to Africa.
