Smile Communications has announced the opening of an LTE network on the 800-MHz spectrum in Ibadan and Lagos, Nigeria, Telecompaper reports, with Ibadan commercial services starting in February 2013, making Smile the first to bring LTE technology to West Africa. In Lagos, commercial services were launched on Feb 19, 2014, for an improved mobile broadband experience, with more locations across the country to be covered soon.

Ericsson is the primary vendor for the LTE radio network, deploying an RBS 6000 family of base stations and antenna integrated radio (AIR) Antennas in West Africa for the first time. It is also providing a complete Evolved Packet Core network, including Evolved Packet Gateway and Mobility Management Entity. Smile Communications and Ericsson have a 3-year network agreement to develop over 1,100 LTE sites across the country, calling for Ericsson to handle project management, systems integration, interoperability testing, network design and implementation.