The partnership between Orange Egypt and Nokia, which has extended for approximately 28 years, is entering a phase focused on making telecommunications networks more software-driven, powered by artificial intelligence, and energy-efficient, company officials revealed during an interview with Telecom Review Africa. This follows cooperation that began with GSM technology and continued through the 3G and 4G generations, reaching 5G.
Dr Ayman Amiri, Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO) at Orange Egypt, said the cooperation had helped the company develop a more resilient network while improving coverage, capacity, and customer experience. He added that rising data consumption was driving the network to rely more heavily on automation, analytics, and artificial intelligence instead of relying solely on traditional equipment expansion.
Artificial Intelligence Enters Network Management
Orange Egypt is operating under its internal transformation programme, “Make Orange Great Again,” which focuses on three areas: network modernization and automation, value maximization, and operational excellence. According to Amiri, the company uses artificial intelligence applications to improve network performance, support predictive maintenance, automate operations, and direct expansion towards areas with the highest demand.
The company says these applications have helped improve network availability, reduce congestion, accelerate fault handling, and increase operational efficiency. Miko Lavanti, Nokia’s head of the Middle East and Africa region, considered automation and AI-based network management increasingly important as 4G and 5G networks, cloud computing, and the ongoing rise in data traffic are combined.
Solar-Powered Operation Trial
Among the most prominent cooperation projects was a trial at the KS-HK-BATTAH telecommunications site to test a more sustainable model for operating sites. According to the company, the site operated on 100% solar power, supported by lithium batteries, while maintaining network performance and service continuity.
The trial also fully shut down the conventional 27 KVA diesel generator, reducing fuel consumption by approximately 55 to 60 litres per day, in addition to eliminating the generator’s maintenance requirements. Nokia describes the trial as a model for cooperation between a telecommunications operator and a technology provider that could be considered for application at other sites.
What Is Changing in Practice?
The trial provides a practical indication that reducing energy consumption in telecommunications networks is not limited to purchasing more efficient equipment; it can also involve redesigning how a site operates and the energy sources used there. Artificial intelligence tools may also shift network management from responding to faults after they occur to detecting problems proactively, according to Lavanti.
The two companies are betting that testing solutions in Egypt could enable successful trials to be transferred to other markets in Africa and the Middle East, benefiting from Orange Egypt’s position within the regional group. However, the source does not specify the number of sites targeted for conversion to solar power, the expansion timeline, or the trial’s economic cost. Therefore, the project cannot yet be considered an announcement of a comprehensive rollout of the solution.
The next phase, according to Amiri, will focus on network modernization, improving energy efficiency, expanding AI-supported automation, and increasing capacity in areas with high demand. The two companies also aim to build a scalable network ready to transition to 5G and subsequent technologies, but implementation details and future measurement indicators were not disclosed in the article.