The new installation in remote Madagascar (Image source: Nokia)

Airtel Madagascar and Nokia have launched Madagascar’s first fully off-grid Rural Connect site, powered by solar panels, calling it a “milestone in extending mobile connectivity to underserved communities”

Leveraging Nokia’s innovative Rural Connect solution — which combines AirScale Radio Access, Nokia renewable power systems, and lean civil structures — the sites will enable Airtel Madagascar to deliver reliable, high-quality coverage in remote areas where connectivity was previously impossible.

This initiative reinforces Airtel Madagascar’s commitment to bridging the digital divide and fulfilling its universal service obligations, while advancing Nokia’s strategic focus on connecting the unconnected through sustainable, energy-efficient solutions across Africa.

“Our collaboration with Nokia marks a transformative step forward in ensuring that no community is left behind in Madagascar’s digital journey,” said Anne Catherine Tchokonte Tcholagheu, CEO of Airtel Madagascar.

“By expanding coverage to rural areas, we are not only fulfilling regulatory obligations but opening new doors to education, healthcare, and economic opportunity for thousands of people.”

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 2.6 billion people worldwide remain without internet access, with 1.8 billion living in rural areas.

These figures highlight both the urgency and opportunity to close the connectivity gap.

Studies by the World Bank show that a 10% increase in broadband penetration can boost GDP by up to 2.5% in developing economies, while GSMA research estimates that closing the mobile internet usage gap could add $700 billion to global GDP by 2030.

Nokia’s Rural Connect solution directly addresses these challenges by delivering cost-optimised, sustainable connectivity for rural and low-density areas.

It integrates renewable power sources, enabling fully off-grid operation via solar or hybrid solar-wind systems.

It also reuses refurbished RAN hardware, encouraging circular-economy principles, and supports flexible backhaul, including microwave, UE relay, and LEO satellite, ensuring performance even in the most remote terrains.

“Working with Airtel Madagascar to deliver our Rural Connect sites exemplifies how innovation and sustainability go hand in hand,” said Mustapha Salah, head of mobile networks for Central, East & West Africa at Nokia.

“Through Rural Connect, we provide operators with a scalable, energy-efficient, and affordable solution to extend connectivity to the hardest-to-reach communities.”

Nokia’s Rural Connect deployments in Ethiopia, Egypt, Cameroon, and Mali have already demonstrated measurable impact.

In one rural Cameroonian community, mobile usage increased fivefold within two weeks of site activation, giving residents their first access to education, healthcare, digital commerce, and government services.

Through such initiatives, Nokia said in a statement that it continues to “connect the unconnected and empower the connected with secure, sustainable, and high-performance networks that drive inclusive digital growth across Africa."

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The CoolCenter Immersion system utilises immersion cooling technology. (Image credit: Vertiv)

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has unveiled the Vertiv CoolCenter Immersion cooling system, further expanding its worldwide liquid cooling portfolio

The new system is designed to support artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) environments that demand advanced heat management. It is now available across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).

The CoolCenter Immersion system utilises immersion cooling technology, where entire servers are submerged in a dielectric liquid. This approach ensures efficient and even heat removal across all components, especially in high-power applications where conventional air cooling is no longer sufficient. As a complete liquid-cooling solution, the system provides reliable heat management for dense computing loads ranging from 25 kW to 240 kW per unit.

“Immersion cooling is playing an increasingly important role as AI and HPC deployments push thermal limits far beyond what conventional systems can handle,” said Sam Bainborough, EMEA vice-president of thermal business at Vertiv. “With the Vertiv CoolCenter Immersion, we’re applying decades of liquid-cooling expertise to deliver fully engineered systems that handle extreme heat densities safely and efficiently, giving operators a practical path to scale AI infrastructure without compromising reliability or serviceability.”

The Vertiv CoolCenter Immersion comes in various configurations, including self-contained and multi-tank setups, offering cooling capacities from 25 kW to 240 kW. Each system integrates an internal or external tank, coolant distribution unit (CDU), temperature sensors, variable-speed pumps, and fluid piping to ensure precise temperature control and consistent performance.

Built for dependability, the system features dual power supplies and redundant pumps for continuous operation. Integrated monitoring sensors, a 9-inch touchscreen, and building management system (BMS) connectivity enhance operational visibility and ease of use. Additionally, its design allows for heat reuse, supporting energy-efficient facility management and aligning with sustainability objectives.

Vertiv’s Liquid Cooling Services deliver end-to-end expertise, encompassing design, installation, maintenance, training, and lifecycle optimisation. The portfolio covers rear-door heat exchangers, direct-to-chip, and immersion cooling technologies, ensuring scalable, efficient, and reliable thermal management solutions tailored for AI, HPC, and other high-density computing environments.

NEC XON powers Africa’s Super Wi-Fi leap

NEC XON, a leading African ICT solutions integrator and subsidiary of Japan’s NEC Corporation, has introduced Super Wi-Fi, an advanced long-range wireless technology built specifically for industrial and large-scale outdoor applications

Across Africa, industries continue to struggle with Wi-Fi connectivity gaps. From expansive mining operations and ports to major construction sites and remote energy facilities, many of these locations extend far beyond the reach of fibre or LTE networks.

Traditional meshed Wi-Fi systems often prove too expensive and inefficient to cover vast industrial areas, while latency issues hinder real-time machine operation and monitoring. Super Wi-Fi addresses these issues by providing coverage up to ten times greater than conventional Wi-Fi, ensuring robust, low-latency connectivity even in complex, remote environments.

Solving traditional connectivity barriers

“Many heavy industrial NEC XON customers struggle with traditional Wi-Fi due to range, latency, and interference,” explained Willem Wentzel, senior architect at NEC XON. “Now we can offer them Super Wi-Fi, which overcomes those barriers. It’s built with intelligent antenna technology and advanced radio algorithms that mitigate noise and extend coverage, delivering high throughput and low latency. In ideal circumstances this extends across multiple kilometres but for more real-world environments we find the effective range is 900m to 1.3km.”

Unlike LTE, which requires costly licensed spectrum and agreements with mobile operators, Super Wi-Fi operates in unlicensed bands, making it faster to deploy and more cost-effective for private industrial use.

“Each base station can cover hundreds of metres to several kilometres, connecting customer premises equipment (CPE) units across mining pits, port terminals, or remote field offices,” added Bernadette George, NEC XON presales: 4G, 5G and oRAN Ecosystem Connect and Access.

The technology also features 8×8 MIMO smart antennas, dual-band operation across 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and lower 6 GHz, and rugged IP67-rated enclosures, with explosion-proof variants available for oil and gas environments. Through centralised cloud management, Super Wi-Fi supports configuration, analytics, and proactive maintenance, integrating seamlessly with critical services such as CCTV, cybersecurity, and analytics to provide a unified view of site operations and safety.

Proven global deployments

Super Wi-Fi has already demonstrated its potential globally. In Senegal, the technology reduced required access sites by 90% in a citywide deployment, earning the “Connecting West Africa” award. It has also proven successful across industrial terminals in Malaysia and large warehouses in Mexico and India.

According to Wentzel, simplicity and scalability are key advantages. “It’s easy to install, requires far fewer access points than traditional networks, and integrates cleanly into existing infrastructure. The result is lower total cost of ownership and better operational continuity, especially in sectors where downtime isn’t an option.”

Now rolling out across African industries, from mining and ports to utilities, construction, and banking, Super Wi-Fi is set to redefine connectivity for industrial operations. As Wentzel concluded, “Super Wi-Fi is not just about better connectivity. It’s about enabling safer, more efficient, and more intelligent operations across Africa’s most challenging environments.”

Strengthening cooling solutions across Southern Africa

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Mitsubishi Electric Hydronics & IT Cooling Systems S.p.A. (MEHITS), headquartered in Bassano, Italy, has acquired a stake in Intramech Pty Ltd., a South African company specialising in sales and services for applied HVAC and IT cooling systems

By strengthening its partnership with Intramech, known for its strong sales, service, and engineering expertise in southern Africa, Mitsubishi Electric aims to expand both companies’ technical capabilities while enhancing its one-stop service offerings for applied HVAC and IT cooling systems.

Through the integration of Mitsubishi Electric’s product portfolio with Intramech’s local know-how, the two companies will complement each other in maintenance, equipment engineering, and system integration. Together, they will provide end-to-end services, including design-related technical support, sales, installation, operation, and maintenance, across southern Africa.

The collaboration comes at a time when data centre construction is surging globally, including across Africa, driving increased demand for IT cooling. Data centre operators are also seeking more comprehensive services covering installation, operation, and maintenance of cooling equipment.

According to Mitsubishi Electric, “The new partnerships will allow Mitsubishi Electric to strengthen its presence in southern Africa to deliver more comprehensive customer support and better meet the demand for applied HVAC and IT cooling system solutions, which is forecast to grow significantly in the regional market.”