A groundbreaking hybrid technology in Africa Central

Airtel Gabon and ZTE have achieved a global first by deploying a Massive MIMO antenna combining FDD (Frequency Division Duplexing) and TDD (Time Division Duplexing) technologies on an operational network. According to AfriqueITNews, this innovation allows simultaneous exploitation of both duplexing modes’ advantages, offering greater flexibility to manage traffic variations.

This innovation enhances network data rates and capacity while preparing it for the transition to 5G.

Measurable technical gains for Gabon’s network

The technical results of this deployment are significant: user data rates have increased by 107% at the affected sites, while traffic capacity has grown by 20%, according to Direct Infos Gabon. On the 2.6 GHz band, performance improvements are even more pronounced, with a 86% increase in data rates and a 92% rise in capacity. Spectral efficiency has also improved by 41%, optimizing radio resource usage without requiring additional infrastructure.

A key solution for Gabon’s transition to 5G

This deployment is part of a broader strategy to modernize Gabon’s mobile network. As explained by ITWeb Africa, this hybrid technology lays the technical groundwork for future migration to 5G while addressing current urban congestion challenges. Razvan Ungureanu, CTO of Airtel Africa, emphasizes that this solution « maximizes spectral efficiency and strengthens the network’s real-world performance » while reducing the physical footprint of antennas.

What this changes here

For operators and administrations in West Africa and Benin, this deployment in Gabon could inspire similar strategies to optimize existing 4G networks without massive investments in infrastructure. The capacity and spectral efficiency gains observed in Gabon could be replicated locally, particularly in urban areas where data demand is surging with the adoption of mobile financial services and cloud applications. Such hybrid technology would also help accelerate preparations for 5G, a critical issue for countries aiming to reduce their dependence on imported infrastructure.