Ericsson and MTN Group extend BSS modernisation agreement to boost digital transformation in Africa

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) and MTN Group (JSE: MTN) have renewed their partnership for continued delivery to MTN of two flagship products from the Ericsson Business and Operations Support Systems portfolio, Ericsson Charging and Ericsson Mediation.

These solutions are integrated with Ericsson Dynamic Activation (EDA) from the Ericsson Network Management portfolio. As part of the partnership, Ericsson will provide these solutions for the next 5 years across MTN’s pan-African market.

The partnership includes the modernisation of MTN Group’s Business Support Systems (BSS) ecosystem, enabling best-in-class features and capabilities that support exploring monetisation streams and new business models, such as 5G and Internet of Things (IoT).

This partnership plays a significant role in advancing MTN Group’s cloud-native transformation, fostering continued growth and aligning with the accelerated implementation of MTN Group’s Ambition 2025 strategy, which aims to build one of the largest and most valuable platforms utilising connectivity and infrastructure businesses for both mobile and fixed access networks across the consumer, enterprise, and wholesale segments.

With this agreement, MTN will continue using Ericsson Charging, Ericsson Mediation and Ericsson Dynamic Activation as part of the overall BSS landscape. With the ongoing support from Ericsson, MTN will have a robust base from which to grow and scale its services across Africa, capturing and securing revenue streams, enhancing billing accuracy and granularity, supporting new services, delivering revenue assurance, and enabling data monetization through preparation for analytics and IoT.

Mazen Mroue, MTN Group Chief Technology and Information Officer, shares: “We continue looking to elevate our technological infrastructure and offer pioneering services in our markets to our customers while achieving cost efficiency through our expansive scale. The sustained collaboration with Ericsson has been instrumental in promoting innovation, standardisation and enhancing operational efficiency.

The recent agreement with Ericsson marks a significant milestone, enabling MTN to tap into the transformative power of cloud computing, driving us towards the objectives outlined in our Ambition 2025 strategy. This strategic move underscores our commitment to embracing innovative technologies that enhance customer experience and drive sustainable growth.”

Hossam Kandeel, Vice President and Head of Global Customer Unit MTN and Customer Unit MTN Africa at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, says: “As we continue to evolve and expand our partnership with MTN Group, we are committed to collaborating and providing the latest technology solutions that will help MTN operating companies to capture and secure revenue streams while delivering improved services to their customers.

Our Business and Operations Support Systems portfolio is designed to provide the flexibility and agility communication service providers need to respond to changing customer demands. We are happy to sign this contract and support MTN Group in delivering superior service experiences, creating new business models for 5G, and driving digitalisation across Africa.”

Ericsson’s agile, flexible, robust, and resilient Business and Operations Support Systems and Network Management portfolios uniquely position MTN Group to unlock new revenue streams and capitalise on emerging opportunities in both consumer and enterprise markets. This multi-year partnership is a strong foundation for continued growth and success in the years to come.