Africell Sierra Leone, the country’s mobile communications and technology operator, rolled out a high-capacity disaggregated IP/MPLS backbone to backhaul both mobile and fixed traffic. The operator selected IP Infusion OcNOS running on Edgecore hardware, with systems integrator Pine Networks delivering the turn-key project from design and proof of concept through integration and traffic migration.
The Challenge
Africell offers mobile coverage across Sierra Leone and high-capacity FTTx to businesses and residential customers in Freetown. A surge in traffic from extensive 4G coverage, combined with preparation for 5G, made it crucial to deploy a robust and scalable IP backbone capable of carrying mobile and fixed services on the same infrastructure.
- Backhaul rising 4G traffic and prepare for 5G introduction.
- Serve both mobile customers nationwide and FTTx subscribers in Freetown.
- Avoid the cost and rigidity of traditional integrated routing platforms.
The Solution
Africell made the strategic decision to build its new backbone on disaggregated routing, pairing OcNOS SP with Edgecore switches. Pine Networks handled network design, proof of concept, integration, and live traffic migration as a single turn-key engagement, covering access and aggregation roles in the network.
“We made the decision to use a disaggregated routing solution because it covered all of our requirements and provided the flexibility we need at a lower point than traditional solutions,” said Ali Abou Hamdan, Head of Transmission and IP at Africell Sierra Leone.
Outcomes
The disaggregated model gives Africell a scalable IP backbone that supports current 4G demand, FTTx growth in Freetown, and the path to 5G, without locking the operator into a single vendor stack. Upgradability and cost were the driving factors, and the disaggregated approach allows incremental upgrades as needs evolve.
- Single backbone scaled to service mobile and fixed network traffic.
- Flexibility to introduce more advanced services on the same platform.
- Lower price point than traditional integrated routing solutions.
Why OcNOS
“The IP Infusion OcNOS was the right choice for Africell, because it provides the required features for current and future requirements as Africell introduces more advanced services,” said Hadi Choueiry, General Manager of Pine Networks. The deployment extends IP Infusion’s footprint in Africa and shows how open, disaggregated networking can meet carrier-grade requirements in an important market.