Mobile World Congress, Barcelona March 4, 2015 — NuRAN Wireless Inc. today announced that it has expanded its operations in Africa and received its first order in the continent for GSM LiteCell, its low-power (54W), low-OPEX GSM base station designed specifically for use in rural and low-density, lower-ARPU urban areas.

Despite being a relatively new entrant into the rural GSM market, NuRAN’s GSM LiteCell has already been deployed in both Mexico and Asia where it has given rural communities network coverage for the very first time.

It is now being trialled by a number of operators and community organisations in Africa which want to provide voice coverage to villages in rural areas not currently covered by any kind of voice or data network – and in urban areas  where there are still opportunities to provide an affordable service to lower-ARPU customers.

Wireless ISPs providing data in rural areas in Africa are also examining GSM LiteCell so that they add reliable voice service to their portfolio offering.

NuRAN Wireless will be exhibiting at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona within the Canada Pavilion in Hall 7.

Francis Letourneau, VP of Sales & Marketing at NuRAN, said “We’ve spent several years researching the unique cellular needs of lower-ARPU markets and have avoided the errors made in the past.  In particular, other vendors have claimed that their BTSs only require 50W but those in the field know the realities. Our 54W BTS is genuine.”

He continued: “Facebook is aiming to provide internet connectivity to rural areas. We, however, are focusing on enabling people in these areas to actually make a phone call from their homes and businesses first. We’ve had a lot of interest from South Africa where the penetration rate is over 100% and coverage is widespread so it’s clear there are still gaps in the market there.”

 

NuRAN Wireless’ GSM LiteCell includes the following features:

·      Requires just 54W and can be powered by solar, grid electricity or generators

·      Contains two TRX which enable 30 simultaneous calls

·      A 10 kilometer radius for each GSM LiteCell

·      An all-IP interface makes it easy to connect to any type of backhaul, including DSL, microwave, and satellite

·      On-site BSC and advanced compression features reduce the amount of traffic exchanged on the backhaul and increase tolerance to latency

·      The compact size and simplicity of the LiteCell makes it possible for a single, untrained person to perform the site installation. Ongoing maintenance is minimal.

 

About NuRAN Wireless

NuRAN Wireless is a leading supplier of mobile and broadband wireless solutions. Its innovative GSM, LTE, and White Space radio access network (RAN) products dramatically drop the total cost of ownership, thereby creating new opportunities for mobile network operators and internet service providers.

The company provides a variety of specialist systems for indoor coverage, rural and urban connectivity in emerging markets, connectivity to offshore platforms and ships, and for emergency and crisis communications.

NuRAN Wireless is part of the Nutaq Innovation Group, a privately held corporation, with its head office located in Quebec City, Canada.

 

For more information please visit nuranwireless.com and @NuRANWireless or call its PR rep on +44 7946 342 903, skype: bridgetfishleigh or bridget@telecomsprafrica.com