Gateway Communications wins 2009 GTB Award for Innovation

Peter Gbedemah, CEO Gateway Communications

The awards recognises innovative projects involving telecoms operators and service providers worldwide, in association with their vendors and suppliers. For the Wireless Network Infrastructure Innovation Award, Gateway was assessed on a project that showed innovative contribution to the telecommunications sector.

The award was given for Gateway's Airlink and Metrolink products, which were launched in Nigeria in May 2008.

AirLink is a broadband internet service offering access at speeds up to 8mbps and MetroLink allows companies with multiple offices in a metropolitan area to inter-connect at high-speed using the same product. Gateway plans to introduce both products in 11 major cities in Nigeria in the third quarter of this year as well as Ghana, Cameroon and Mozambique in the next quarter before expanding them into the rest of Africa.

Both AirLink and MetroLink run on a Cambridge Broadband Networks wireless access platform with an MPLS core, allowing customers to converge Internet, Intranet and Extranet connections all on the same access.

“I'm delighted,” said Peter Gbedemah, CEO Gateway Communications, “It's very exciting to be part of the dynamic telecommunications sector in one of Africa's fastest growing regions. Gateway Communications is continuing to see solid growth through increasing demand for connectivity across the continent especially in the most vibrant markets such as Nigeria...”

Graham Peel, CEO, Cambridge Broadband Networks, commented, “It's great to see one of our customers recognised with such a prestigious award. Gateway Communications has taken an innovative approach to delivering much-needed products, services and connectivity to its customers, so it's a just award for them to win. With the huge demand for Internet bandwidth in Africa and around the world, it's not surprising that Gateway Communications selected a scalable platform like VectaStar which is designed to meet the requirements of world-class operators today and the next generation networks they will build in the future, so it is able to continue offering innovative products and services to its customers and is able to grow with them.”

Congratulating Gateway Communications and Cambridge Broadband Networks, Alan Burkitt-Gray commented, “The Airlink and Metrolink project stood out, even though the competition was strong, and it just had to be one of the winners. Well done to all involved.”