Aquiva Closes US $7.2m Deal With HUAWEI

Today, news came out that Aquiva Wireless has sealed a telecoms deal worth US $7.2m with Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei Technologies. The deal itself is for the establishment of 92 bases stations for broadband Internet. This effectively sets Aquiva Wireless on a growth path to compete with Internet Access Providers that have extensive infrastructure in the country like Africom, Ecoweb, PowerTel, Telecontract and TelOne.

Aquiva Wireless was established in 2007 by local entrepreneurs. The telecoms company has a Class A Internet Access Provider’s license they were awarded last year just before POTRAZ suspended the issue of more IAP licenses. The company made their first appearance last year when they called for bids for the construction of trenches. Then, it was unclear what services they were going to provide.

Huawei Technologies is a private high-tech enterprise which specializes in research and development (R&D), production and marketing of communications equipment, and providing customized network services for telecom carriers world over. The Zimbabwe operations were established in 1999.

Huawei has also provided network expansion and optimization solutions, including switches, national transmission backbone, CDMA and GSM systems for state owned mobile operators TelOne and NetOne. Huawei’s products and solutions are also used in the networks of private operators like Telecel, Econet, Africom and Powertel.