Orange & Vodacom Team Up to Boost Rural Network Coverage in Congo

Group 1: Partnership and Initiative - Orange and Vodacom have formed a partnership to create Africa's first rural tower company, focusing on addressing connectivity challenges in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) [1] - The joint venture aims to build, own, and operate solar-powered mobile base stations, providing network access to 19 million people in rural communities [1][3] - The project plans to construct up to 2,000 solar-powered base stations over the next six years, starting with an initial commitment of 1,000 sites [3] Group 2: Company Background and Impact - Orange RDC has over 15 million subscribers and more than 3,400 sites, with 90% being 4G-enabled, demonstrating its commitment to innovation and inclusion in the DRC [2] - The collaborative project aligns with the DRC's National Digital Plan Horizon 2025, which emphasizes the development of a robust digital economy [5] - The initiative is expected to drive job creation and boost economic growth by enabling greater access to digital services [5] Group 3: Infrastructure and Competition - The partnership will share active and passive infrastructure, with both companies acting as anchor tenants for an initial 20-year term [4] - The shared infrastructure will be open to other mobile network operators (MNOs), fostering competition and broadening consumer options in underserved regions [4]