Africa?s next generation multimedia services are now available to the massive pre-paid population in Rwanda on the MTN Rwandacell network, with Ericsson solutions for multimedia and charging.  This means people in households as well as business users can have equal opportunity to have chat, presence and video communication on mobile or fixed networks.

The Rwanda Utilities and Regulatory Agency (RURA) calculates that prepaid mobile subscribers constitute more than 80 percent of Rwanda‘s telecom market. Of the three players on that market, MTN Rwandacell is the largest. By transforming its network into an IP-based converged network and migrating all of its subscribers to a common IP-based service platform, MTN Rwandacell secures that high-quality voice and multimedia services will be available to its subscribers, whether they are on pre-paid or post-paid plans.

Additionally, MTN Rwandacell is the first to commercially deploy Multimedia Telephony (MMTel) based on IMS in all of Africa. Andrew Rugege, Chief Operating Officer MTN Rwandacell, comments: ?With Ericsson?s support, we have succeeded in achieving a prepaid solution for multimedia services using the same account as for voice. With the very same scratch card, you can now load airtime and use it for voice and data wherever you are.?

Ericsson has deployed the IMS-based Multimedia Telephony Solution combined with Ericsson Charging System, the world leading real-time convergent charging solution, which part of the overall Operations Support System and Business Support System offering. Combining the two is what makes advanced multimedia services available to the huge numbers of pre-paid users for the first time in Africa. The services are available regardless of type of access – mobile network, public hot-spots or a fixed broadband network, even outside Rwanda, which grants freedom and mobility to subscribers.

Lars Lind?n, head of Region Sub-Saharan Africa for Ericsson, says: ?MTN Rwandacell is leading the way for African people to be able to use new and innovative services, while widening the possibilities for anyone to conveniently pay for them.?

Ericsson helps more than one billion people make payments through its charging systems around the world. Ericsson?s convergent charging solution enables integration of all prepaid and post-paid as well as fixed and mobile services offerings, and provides the capability to introduce new and more flexible service packages.