Kampala, Uganda and Milpitas, California — May 23, 2024 — Sombha Solutions Store, a locally-owned Ugandan service provider to 500,000 subscribers, and Tarana, creator of next-generation fixed wireless access (ngFWA) broadband technology, officially announced a new, ngFWA-powered Open Access Network in central Uganda. This network will serve the country’s broader internet service provider (ISP) ecosystem, enabling operators to deliver high-speed broadband to the city of Kampala and surrounding areas.
Tarana’s ngFWA platform, Gigabit 1 (G1), is the first of its kind to offer truly fiber-class broadband performance with the deployment ease of wireless technology. Now well-proven, Sombha joins more than 200 operators in 23 countries that have embraced G1 in their live networks.
Sombha was originally drawn to G1 for its ability to deliver high speeds in challenging environments, which is crucial for the diverse geography and infrastructure throughout Uganda. In Kampala alone, there are high-rise buildings and dense urban congestion, while the surrounding areas feature more open landscapes with moderate tree cover and
undulating hills.
Withstanding these challenging terrains and cityscapes, Sombha’s initial G1 testing consistently delivered downlink speeds in excess of 500 Mbps, even servicing clients as far as 10 km from the tower. The ngFWA platform also managed near- and non-line-of-sight (nLoS/NLoS) situations — maintaining reliable connections despite buildings or foliage amid the wireless link — and showcased its unprecedented interference cancellation capability, drastically improving Sombha’s ability to manage noisy spectrum in urban environments. G1 also allows them to offer gigabit speed (up to 900 Mbps) broadband packages.
The team shared, “These advancements have enabled us to overcome long-standing last-mile connectivity challenges. For our customers, this translates to fewer disruptions, higher speeds, and a better overall internet experience.”
In addition to improved network capacity and reliability, G1 will significantly reduce their infrastructure and operational costs. Leveraging existing towers, the deployment ease of ngFWA also allows Sombha to connect customers far more efficiently than wired broadband solutions. Without the time to market requirements of a full fiber deployment, the company can now realize ROI in timelines measured in months, rather than years.
Haruna Nyanzi Lule, CEO of Sombha Solutions Store, shared, “Tarana’s ngFWA technology has revolutionized our network deployment strategy. It allows us to confidently expand coverage and meet our goal to cover 4.2 million people by 2025. Tarana is the only technology that allows us to meet our goals without compromising on performance and ensuring we can meet the growing demand for reliable internet access. We look forward to continuing this progress with Tarana.”
Nick Ehrke, Tarana’s Sales Lead in Africa, added, “We are proud to announce this partnership with Sombha Solutions. Together we are bringing high-capacity broadband to Central Uganda and further narrowing Africa’s digital divide.”
About Sombha Solutions Store
Sombha Solutions Store, a Microsoft Airband Partner, offers internet service to residents and businesses, as well as network infrastructure leasing, managed IT services, and tailored digital solutions. The company’s mission is to bridge the digital divide by providing reliable, high-speed internet access to underserved and remote areas, empowering communities through connectivity. Sombha has been operating in Uganda for over a decade, and is continuously evolving and expanding services to meet the growing needs of its customers. Visit www.sombha.com or email info@sombha.com for more information.
About Tarana
Tarana’s mission is to accelerate the deployment of fast, affordable internet access around the world. Through a decade of R&D and over $400M of investment, the Tarana team has created a unique next-generation fixed wireless access (ngFWA) technology instantiated in its first commercial platform, Gigabit 1 (G1). It delivers a game-changing advance in broadband economics in both mainstream and underserved markets, using either licensed or unlicensed spectrum. G1 started production in mid-2021 and has since been embraced by more than 200 service providers in 23 countries. Tarana is headquartered in Milpitas, California, with additional research and development in Pune, India. Learn more at www.taranawireless.com.