Cape Town – MTN South Africa has achieved what it describes as an industry first by commercially validating technology that allows it to reuse existing microwave spectrum more efficiently, potentially expanding network capacity and supporting the rollout of 5G services without relying solely on additional spectrum allocations.
The milestone, announced on 26 October, was achieved in partnership with Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer Huawei using its Co-Channel Interference Cancellation (CCIC) microwave solution.
According to MyBroadband, the technology analyses interference between signals sharing the same frequency in real time and generates signals to suppress that interference, allowing more efficient reuse of existing spectrum.
The development addresses a key challenge for mobile operators as demand for data-intensive services grows and network expansion becomes increasingly constrained by limited spectrum availability and the cost of acquiring additional frequencies.
Spectrum scarcity challenges
In a separate report, TechCentral explained that the technology is designed to increase capacity at network sites where obtaining additional spectrum is difficult or expensive.
Microwave links are an important part of telecommunications infrastructure, carrying data between mobile towers and the wider network. Improving their capacity can help operators accommodate growing traffic, particularly as 5G services expand.
MTN South Africa’s transmission team said the solution “directly addresses spectrum scarcity challenges” by improving spectral efficiency and removing limitations that have historically constrained growth at major network hub sites.
Nkosinathi Nzima, MTN Group’s general manager for transport and operations support systems tools, said the achievement demonstrated how innovation could expand capacity in areas facing network constraints.
“This milestone demonstrates how targeted innovation can help us efficiently expand capacity in constrained areas, improve value from licensed spectrum assets, and build scalable, future-ready transmission network,” Nzima said.
Microwave backhaul networks
Huawei’s Alex Xing, vice-president of its MTN Group Key Account Department, said the solution could help accelerate 5G deployment by enabling higher-capacity and more efficient microwave backhaul networks.
The development also reflects the continuing importance of microwave technology in South Africa’s digital infrastructure. ITWeb, citing research by Africa Analysis, reported that South Africa had more than 176,000 microwave links at the end of 2024, with the market valued at approximately R8.3 billion.
While MTN and Huawei have highlighted improvements in spectrum efficiency and network performance, the announcement does not quantify the technology’s impact on consumer data speeds, coverage or prices.
The deployment nevertheless offers MTN a way to make more effective use of its existing network resources as demand for connectivity increases and the expansion of 5G services continues.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
