NamPower Selects Ribbon’s State-of-the-Art IP Optical Portfolio for its Pan Namibia UTelco Network

Plano, TX – Ribbon Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: RBBN), a global provider of real time communications software and IP optical networking solutions to service providers, enterprises, and critical infrastructure sectors, today announced that NamPower, Namibia’s largest power utility, has deployed Ribbon’s IP Optical portfolio for its “The GridOnline” project. The GridOnline provides a comprehensive backbone for operators across the country to leverage high-capacity bandwidth reliably, both domestically and internationally.

“This is a significant project, not just for us, but more so for Namibia as a whole, providing expanded access to fast, reliable bandwidth to carriers and wholesale providers,” said Helgo Müller, NamPower’s Head of Telecom and Control. “Strategically, when it comes to communications infrastructure, NamPower, and therefore Namibia as a country, plays an important role for the entire southern African region, having direct backbone reach across the nation, to submarine optic cables and to neighboring land-locked countries. As such, the responsibilities of and expectations put towards NamPower are of a critical and compelling nature. Having worked with Ribbon for almost a decade, we were confident in their ability to deliver the technical solutions and, more importantly, provide the associated service and assistance requirements. We were not disappointed. In fact, the Ribbon and NamPower teams were able to deploy the network, including its auxiliary facets, amidst and despite tight pandemic-related restrictions, an impressive accomplishment which we all can be proud of.”

NamPower required a solution offering extensive programmable IP optical capabilities to leverage its utility network for bandwidth delivery. Fully implemented in 2021, the network combines Ribbon’s 400G ZR+ and 200G coherent Apollo Optical Transport solutions with Neptune IP over DWDM. The Muse interactive network planning tool enables NamPower to carry out offline network planning and simulations to optimize use of resources.

“NamPower is a flagship customer for us on the African continent and we have long considered them a partner for growth,” said Lior Tourgeman, Ribbon’s VP Sales, Africa. “I am delighted to see that the network we have nurtured over the past decade has now evolved into a multi-terabit network equipped with rich capabilities of DWDM, IP, OTN and intuitive management. This significant step toward network modernization is helping to usher NamPower into the era of IP Optical networking and establish it as a key player for bandwidth delivery services.”