SES and Africa Mobile Networks (AMN) announced that they have successfully upgraded over 200 telecoms sites across Côte d’Ivoire to deliver 2G and 3G mobile data services to over 500,000 people in rural and previously underserved areas.
The upgrade, completed between May and June 2025, saw SES expand satellite capacity for AMN, enabling faster, more reliable connectivity for mobile operators and their customers. SES said it will further scale its capacity to support AMN’s future expansion efforts as data usage rises.
AMN currently operates over 300 sites, delivering telecoms services, via SES satellites, to more than 700,000 people, compared to 60 sites when AMN began operations in Côte d’Ivoire in 2022.
AMN said the next phase of expansion is already underway, which will increase its footprint to 360 sites in Côte d’Ivoire by the end of this year. That will include the company’s first 4G sites, which are expected to go live this month.
AMN says its software-defined RAN platform, the AMN Radio Node (ARN), supports 2G, 3G, 4G, and future 5G on a single unit, enabling multiple carriers to operate efficiently and upgrade remotely without extra cost or power, delivering connectivity at a fraction of traditional deployment costs.
AMN CEO Michael Darcy said that its sites have made a positive impact on commnunities where they’re installed, adding that 81% of customers use its service for mobile money transactions, while 42% use mobile services for education and 33% use them for healthcare access.
“These upgrades not only bring internet access to remote regions but also empower local businesses, farmers, and families through digital inclusion,” Darcy said in a statement. “Connectivity is a catalyst for economic growth – by extending reliable voice and data services to rural areas, we are helping communities unlock new opportunities for learning, trade and innovation.”
