Empowering Our Team with Mimosa C6x Fixed Wireless Technology

On Saturday, the GTL Enterprise technical team dedicated a full day to intensive training on the Mimosa C6x Series Modular Radio. This training is a direct investment in our capacity to support Safaricom’s mission of bridging the digital divide in rural Kenya through the deployment of cutting-edge Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) technology. Our technicians are now equipped with the practical knowledge to deploy, configure, and maintain these vital links, strengthening our position as a key Safaricom partner.

Mimosa C6x

The Mimosa C6x is the core component enabling fast, reliable internet where traditional fiber and cable infrastructure is too costly or challenging to deploy. Here are the key concepts our team mastered:

1. Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)

What it is: Think of FWA as a modern way to deliver high-speed broadband internet wirelessly, similar to how a cell phone tower works, but designed for fixed locations (like a home or business) rather than mobile devices.
The Problem it Solves: In rural or remote areas, laying physical fiber cables is expensive and time-consuming. FWA uses advanced radio technology to beam the internet signal directly to an antenna installed at the customer’s premises.
Our Role: By deploying FWA using the Mimosa C6x, GTL is helping Safaricom rapidly extend its network and offer digital services like M-Pesa to previously unconnected communities.

The Mimosa C6x: Our Modular Workhorse

The C6x is a versatile radio that can be adapted for different wireless links, making it ideal for the diverse terrain in Kenya.
- PTP (Point-to-Point): This is a direct, dedicated link between two specific locations, much like a laser beam.
  - Use Case: Connecting a Safaricom tower (Point 1) to a large company’s head office (Point 2) a few kilometers away to provide high-capacity internet.
- PTMP (Point-to-Multipoint): This involves one central base station (the “Point”) connecting to multiple customer sites (the “Multipoints”).
  - Use Case: Connecting a single tower to dozens of remote homes and businesses in a village, sharing the capacity among all users.

This hands-on training ensures our GTL technicians are masters of FWA deployment. By mastering the flexibility of the Mimosa C6x, our team is directly contributing to Safaricom's strategy: installing the fastest, most cost-effective, and most robust network connections possible, turning the challenge of rural connectivity into an opportunity for community growth. Congratulations to all the technicians who participated! Your dedication is what powers GTL's successful partnership with Safaricom.