Ethio Telecom, in collaboration with Huawei, has launched North Africa’s first-ever GigaAAU FDD tri-band Massive MIMO site, marking a historic step in the region’s digital transformation. The advanced deployment significantly enhances network performance, boosts user experience, and accelerates Ethiopia’s digital economy growth.
Breakthrough in Network Performance
Live network statistics from Ethio Telecom show impressive results. Since the deployment, 4G traffic has surged by 70%, while the average user network speed increased by 68%, enabling smoother video streaming, immersive gaming, and faster downloads, even during peak hours.
Huawei’s GigaAAU FDD tri-band Massive MIMO solution delivers 720W transmit power — the highest in the industry. It integrates the 1.8 GHz, 2.1 GHz, and 2.6 GHz bands into a single Active Antenna Unit (AAU) using Real Wide Bandwidth and Compact Dipole technologies. This allows one-time tri-band deployment without the need for additional antennas, simplifying network expansion.
Intelligent and Energy-Efficient Technology
The solution features enhanced intelligent beam scheduling and beamforming, dynamically following users while avoiding interference. This improves per-user speeds by 20–30%. Additionally, it supports “0 bit 0 watt” energy saving, reducing power consumption to near zero during off-peak times, ensuring both performance and sustainability.
The GigaAAU solution has already been deployed in over 20 global networks, where it has been recognized by operators for its reliability and efficiency.
A Continuation of Ethio Telecom–Huawei Collaboration
Ethio Telecom and Huawei have a history of pioneering deployments. Previously, the companies introduced North Africa’s first FDD BladeAAU solution, which solved antenna space constraints while expanding network capacity. This new GigaAAU deployment further strengthens Ethio Telecom’s ability to deliver next-generation services.
By adopting this technology, Ethio Telecom is reinforcing its competitiveness, driving digital transformation, and expanding advanced connectivity to its customers, while showcasing Ethiopia’s progress as a digital economy leader in Africa.
