MTN offers AWS Direct Connect across Africa

The new service will leverage MTN's multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network to provide customers with connectivity among data centers and offices across national boundaries in Africa and with AWS in Europe. AWS Direct Connect is designed to offers enterprises scalable, pay-as-you-go cloud computing services.

This is expected to give enterprises across Africa a dedicated link with which they can access the AWS cloud.

South Africa-based MTN, Africa's largest telecom operator, has facilities in more than 15 countries in Africa. The company said its MPLS network is designed to give consistent network performance and reduced bandwidth costs while connecting to Amazon Virtue Private Cloud (VPC).

"The relationship with Amazon Web Service is an important step in our plans to address the needs of enterprise customers in the emerging markets," MTN Group Chief Enterprise Officer Mteto Nyati said in a statement.

AWS Direct Connect will initially be provided across key MTN markets including Zambia, Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa, Uganda, Ghana and Ivory Coast.

The company said plans are also under way to extend its global MPLS footprint and enhance its cloud offerings in the coming months.