Technology

NEC XON and Skywire enhance South African rural connectivity with innovative OneWeb satellite solution deployment. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

NEC XON, in partnership with Skywire, has successfully deployed an innovative OneWeb satellite solution tailored to meet the connectivity challenges faced by rural communities and remote enterprises across South Africa

This collaboration has resulted in a high-availability solution that supports both mobile and fixed connectivity in hard-to-reach areas, addressing critical needs in community services, disaster recovery, and diverse business sectors.

Unique application: Voter enrollment in rural areas

One of Skywire’s initial OneWeb applications was a mobile solution designed to support voter enrollment in rural communities. Tasked with tight deadlines, NEC XON and Skywire rapidly coordinated resources, completing deployment within two weeks. This installation, aboard a mobile community service center, included a specially sourced self-levelling bracket to ensure reliable connectivity in remote locations.

An End-to-End connectivity solution for rural applications

NEC XON’s OneWeb solution provides connectivity where terrestrial towers aren’t available, such as the Northern Cape and the Karoo. The LEO satellite offers higher speeds, low latency (~70ms compared to over 600ms with GEO networks), and dependable uptime even in rugged areas. This solution enables Skywire to deliver reliable service where traditional networks cannot reach, with faster installations and reduced operational costs.

Building on a trusted partnership

Skywire’s decision to partner with NEC XON reflects their long-standing relationship. Over the years, NEC XON has supported Skywire’s expansion, including deployments of NEC licensed spectrum microwave equipment. This partnership has been essential in delivering innovative solutions like OneWeb, allowing Skywire to provide unmatched service to customers even in challenging locations.

“NEC XON’s dedication and expertise in delivering a satellite solution with OneWeb that meets Skywire’s high standards of connectivity has been invaluable. The team’s commitment to meeting tight deadlines and supporting our mission is something we greatly value as we continue to grow our service offerings.” – Johan Botha, chief commercial officer, Skywire

Expanding access to new sectors and communities

The success of the OneWeb deployment has drawn interest from various sectors eager to benefit from low-latency, high-availability connectivity. NEC XON and Skywire plan to expand OneWeb services into sectors such as mining, oil & gas, and border security, with additional focus on retail and banking. By delivering powerful connectivity in remote areas, the OneWeb solution is poised to play a transformative role in South Africa’s digital future.

Metso expands screening capabilities with new Johannesburg facility, enhancing local manufacturing and customer-focused solutions in Africa. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Metso has officially inaugurated its new screen centre in Germiston, Johannesburg, South Africa. The event, attended by customers and key stakeholders, marked the launch of a facility focused on assembly, testing, and painting

This development is set to enhance Metso’s ability to supply and deliver screening solutions more efficiently.

“Global technologies adapted for local manufacturing will provide competitive screening solutions for our African customers ensuring the best-in-class return on investment. Our aim is to keep the customer in the center with a complete screening solution right on the customers doorstep,” stated Ian Barnard, president of Metso’s Africa market area.

Adrian Wood, vice-president of screening central, highlighted the alignment with Metso Screening’s regional strategy, remarked, “The local development is in line with Metso Screening’s regional strategy and targets of being closer to the customer to develop a market focused approach for Africa. To do this we have added skilled personnel in engineering, sourcing, key account management, and technical support. We are committed to continuously developing our operations close to customers to further improve our service capability.”

Metso provides an extensive range of screening solutions tailored to regional needs, including high-performance, energy-efficient options such as the UFS Series (Ultra Fine Screen), EF Series (Ellipti-Flo), and BSE Series (Banana Screen Elliptical). The portfolio also includes horizontal, inclined, mobile, portable, and ultrafine screens. Complemented by Trellex screening media—offered in rubber, polyurethane, and classic wire—Metso ensures versatile systems for diverse applications.

The CIV1 Raxio Data centre opened in September 2024. (Image source: Raxio)

What were the power challenges behind one of West Africa’s latest data centres and how were these overcome by leading carrier-neutral Tier III data centre operator, Raxio Group?

In September 2024, Raxio Group officially inaugurated its new state-of-the-art data centre in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Christened the CIV1 data centre, it represented the country’s first Tier III certified carrier-neutral and cloud-neutral facility and is fully equipped with best-of-breed technology. Capable of housing up to 800 racks at full capacity and delivering 3MW of IT power to customer support, it was delivered to help drive the appetite for data consumption and local content by digital users in the country as well as being strategically located to serve the WAEMU economic block.

“The inauguration of our Abidjan data centre establishes us firmly in West Africa, a key growth sector for our continued expansion,” explained Robert Mullins, CEO of Raxio Group. “Abidjan is the ideal location for organisations and businesses from across the economic region to collocate their mission critical infrastructure in a highly reliable and secure facility. We are proud to contribute a fundamental cornerstone to facilitate Côte d’Ivoire’s continued digital growth and cement its hub status in the region.”

Vital infrastructure in West Africa

According to Raxio, the facility is supported by multiple paths for power and fibre connections, and cutting-edge redundant equipment, which underpin its Tier III certification. The 24/7 ‘always-on’ data centre is positioned along key fibre routes, with six connectivity providers currently supplying fibre to the facility. CIV1 will also serve as host to the country's Internet Exchange Point (CIVIX) allowing for low-cost interconnection of local and international traffic in an optimal, carrier-neutral environment.

By nature, data centres are power-hungry facilities with the International Energy Agency suggesting that after globally consuming an estimated 460TWh in 2022, they could reach more than 1,000TWh by 2026. As such, as a new, integral part of the region’s digital infrastructure, it is vital that the CIV1 facility power needs are accounted for. To learn more about how Raxio Group has taken on this challenge, African Review heard from Rob Saunders, chief technology officer at Raxio Group:

African Review (AR): How are you meeting the primary power needs of this facility? 

Rob Saunders (RS): We ensure reliable primary power for our facility through two independent (N+N) 15kV feeders sourced directly from the CIE substation. Each feeder is capable of supporting 100% of the facility’s load, providing full redundancy to safeguard against any single point of failure.

AR: Are there any additional measures being taken to provide critical backup power?

RS: Yes, we have implemented a Tier III compliant backup power system to ensure uninterrupted operations. Our emergency generators are continuous-rated at 1,500KVA and are installed in an N+1 configuration to provide redundancy. This ensures that if one generator fails or is taken offline for maintenance, the remaining units can seamlessly handle the entire load.

AR: Was there any challenges with this particular project regarding the energy requirements and how were these overcome? Did you receive any support from external companies to meet the power needs?

RS: Raxio Engineering and PMO teams worked proactively to coordinate with the local utility provider ensuring smooth design and integration of the power feeds with minimal delays. Our partners offered the technical expertise and on-site resources, helping us to overcome unforeseen challenges and ensuring that our design complied with the local authority regulations.

AR: The power-intensive nature of data centres is presenting a real challenge around the world, but especially in Africa. On the continent, does Raxio have a preferred strategy for meeting the needs of its new facilities?

RS: Our approach is all about designing energy-efficient data centres that use as little power as possible. A big part of this is achieving a low Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), which measures how well we manage energy beyond just running the IT equipment. By fine-tuning things like cooling systems, power distribution, and the overall facility layout, we cut down on unnecessary energy use and, helping us keep the power demands of the entire operation as low as possible.

AR: It was also mentioned in the press release of the sustainable practices you encourage. Could you explain this in a bit more detail in regards to what steps you are taking at your facilities? Have you looked at meeting some of your power needs through renewables?

RS: Yes, we’re currently exploring the use of renewable energy for our facilities. It’s worth mentioning that some of our facilities are already connected to substations powered by renewable sources. As a result, a large proportion, of our portfolio is already running on clean energy. In fact, this is a key factor we consider when selecting a plot or substation during the initial technical assessments for any new data centre location.

We are also looking at various strategies to support with decarbonising our portfolio, this includes evaluating new materials, energy-efficient technologies, renewable energy solutions, and innovative cooling methods to minimise our environmental impact while meeting operational demands.

Nokia and Turkcell achieve world-first quantum-safe IPsec cryptography milestone, securing mobile networks against future quantum computing threats. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Nokia and Turkcell have achieved milestone by demonstrating the world’s first implementation of quantum-safe IPsec network cryptography for mobile subscribers 

This achievement is a significant step forward in protecting mobile networks from future quantum computing threats. By adopting cutting-edge cryptographic standards, Nokia and Turkcell are proactively strengthening network security to ensure long-term resilience in mobile communications.

The rise of quantum computing poses serious risks to traditional cryptography, potentially enabling quantum attacks that can bypass current security measures. As this technology evolves, it is crucial for networks to adopt robust solutions to mitigate these emerging threats.

Safeguarding mobile communications

Turkcell’s mobile transport network now features quantum-safe IPsec cryptography, integrated as part of a defense-in-depth, crypto-resilient strategy. This landmark demonstration utilised Nokia’s widely deployed IPsec Security Gateway, showcasing its ability to safeguard critical data against quantum-era threats.

By embracing advanced cryptographic techniques, Nokia and Turkcell are not only enhancing security for today but also preparing for technological advancements in the future. Mobile users can trust that their communications remain protected now and in the years ahead.

Dr Vehbi Çağrı Güngör, Turkcell chief network technologies officer, remarked, “This test represents a significant milestone in the evolution of our network security. As part of our strategy to continually enhance the security of our mobile network, this collaboration with Nokia provides us with the confidence that our transport security can withstand the challenges of the quantum era. By demonstrating these quantum-safe cryptography capabilities today, we are preparing our network for the future.”

Rafael De Fermin, senior vice-president of Network Infrastructure Europe, Nokia, added, “Through our collaboration with Turkcell we’ve shown how our quantum-safe IPsec technology can protect mobile networks against the evolving security threat landscape. This initiative is part of our ongoing commitment to safeguard the privacy and integrity of mobile technology. Our solutions provide a proactive defense-in-depth crypto-resilient approach against future network security challenges, ensuring that Turkcell’s network remains secure for years to come.”

This achievement underscores Nokia’s leadership in network security, particularly in the mobile telecom sector. The implementation of quantum-safe cryptography reinforces Nokia’s role at the forefront of creating secure, reliable network infrastructures. It also reflects the company’s dedication to addressing risks associated with emerging technologies like quantum computing.