Zain joins TIP to develop telecom infrastructure

Barcelona : Zain Group, during last week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, announced that it has joined the Telecom Infra Project, (TIP), an initiative co-founded by Facebook, Intel, Nokia, SK Telecom, Deutsche Telekom and others in 2016. 

The primary aim of TIP is to bring mobile operators, infrastructure providers, system integrators, and other technology companies together to collaborate on the development of new technologies and reimagine traditional approaches to building and deploying telecom network infrastructure. Operators and the broader telecom industry need to collaborate, be more flexible, innovative and efficient, and TIP looks to help achieve this goal.

Zain plans to bring vast expertise and resources to the initiative as it will leverage its regional footprint and experience in network deployments across challenging territories to support TIP. 

TIP is exploring new approaches and technologies across access, backhaul, and core and management areas. 

Scott Gegenheimer, Zain Group CEO said, “It could be argued that scaling traditional telecom infrastructure to meet the ever-increasing demand for broadband data is not moving as fast as it needs to ensure customers receive the mobile experience they demand and deserve. We are keen to be part of such prime opportunities wherever they may arise.” 

 “Zain fully appreciates the power the internet has to enhance and empower the communities it serves. There are 4 billion people in the world who still don’t have a data connection and we commend Facebook and the other founding companies for kick-starting TIP. This initiative will result in bridging the digital divide by greater inclusion, and call on for more of our regional and industry peers to join us in this initiative.”

Since the launch of TIP in February 2016, the initiative has achieved numerous milestones including the creation of ‘TIP Ecosystem Acceleration Centers’ that incubate local talent around the world and accelerate product development through support from leading global and local investors. 

A ‘People and Process Project Group’ was also created in order to develop and share cultural and process transformation practices to improve operators’ key metrics. In addition, Facebook contributed Voyager, the industry’s first white-box transponder and IP/MPLS routing solution that was successfully tested.

 Furthermore, Facebook’s OpenCellular designs and schematics are now fully open source within TIP to accelerate the industry’s ability to provide wireless access in remote areas of the world.