Africell, Alepo partner on mobile platform initiative

Software solutions provider Alepo has partnered with Africell, one of Africa's fastest-growing mobile operators, to develop an all-in-one data monetization platform for customers in Sierra Leone, Uganda, the Gambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) using Africell's 3G and Planned LTE Networks.

The companies entered into a multi-national contract to integrate Alepo's convergent data charging and policy control solution with Africell's planned African LTE networks and unveiled the new technology at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), Europe's premier mobile industry event, Monday through Thursday in Barcelona, Spain.

The partnership means Africell's customers will have access to the all-in-one data monetization platform as part of their 3G and 4G packages. The platform will include a variety of sponsored apps and content from different content providers as well as roaming data passes.

"Rising smartphone penetration and the subsequent explosive demand for high-speed mobile Internet services in our markets has revealed a strategic opportunity to drive up data revenues in the coming years," Younes Chaaban, Africell's chief technical officer, said. "Alepo's PCRF solution will make it possible for us to harness 3G and LTE data services in order to increase ARPU and profitability of our networks."

The new services and the partnership are part of Africell's long-term growth plan.

"As voice revenues plateau, savvy carriers like Africell recognize the need for an aggressive data monetization strategy," Shivani Sardesai, director of sales for Africa at Alepo, said. "They also know, as we do at Alepo, that it takes a robust, fast, and flexible data charging and policy control solution to realize this strategy as well as overall business success."

For more information about Africell and Alepo, visit www.africell.com or www.alepo.com/mwc.