Building a Network Bridge Over the Digital Divide in Liberia

Sprinting to the Highest Hilltop: What Life in Remote Rural Liberia Means

When we first met Lina, she was sprinting towards the highest hilltop deep in the forest. The village where Lina's family lives lacks network coverage, so in emergencies such as severe illness among family members, locals have no choice but to run to the mountaintops. Only by placing their phones on a wooden stake at the summit can they barely receive a signal. As you pass by hill after hill and see people gesturing frantically and looking anxiously at the bare wooden stake, it's not an unusual sight in the area.

“Living here feels like being cut off from the world. There seems to be no sign of development, and many of my friends have gone to the city to earn money.” Lina told us.

In fact, in remote rural areas of Liberia, we encountered many children facing the same predicament as Lina. Their schools are barely more than a brick wall, with no electricity supply. During the long, dark rainy season, the thunderous rain can even drown out the teacher's voice. Dropping out at a young age to seek their livelihood elsewhere is a choice many local families make for their children.

Liberia has a total population of 5.34 million, 34.8% of whom are classified as extremely poor according to the World Bank. The country's mobile communication infrastructure is severely lacking, with network coverage concentrated in the capital and a few major towns. Data from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) shows that as of 2023, approximately 75%-80% of Liberians are "offline," unable to benefit from the digital economy and with limited access to higher quality education, healthcare, and financial resources.

However, traditional network solutions have a low return on investment, hindering the establishment of a virtuous cycle. To enhance network coverage for local residents through affordable mobile voice and data communication, in 2024, the "Enhance Rural Area" network project, jointly carried out by Orange Liberia and ZTE, was officially launched. This initiative gave over 580,000 users in previously underserved areas the opportunity to enjoy 2G and 4G network service, contributing to digital, financial and energy inclusion.

Building a Network Bridge: Three Months, 1100 Kilometers, and 128 Sites Covering 128 Rural Villages

Liberia contends with the complexities of national infrastructure, influenced by its unique geographic and climatic conditions. The extended rainy season, lasting over seven months, adds significant challenges to material transportation and construction.

In March 2024, engineers ventured deep into the local forest. Thanks to the perfect supply chain support and the enthusiastic help of local residents, the distribution of tower installation materials and site equipment was completed as scheduled, reducing the impact of the rainy season on project delivery. Additionally, they adopted an innovative Lego-type modular tower construction plan, equipped with minimalist devices, achieving rapid and flexible deployment, and reducing the construction period by 60%. Ultimately, engineers overcame numerous unforeseen obstacles and completed the deployment of 128 rural network sites spanning over 1,100 kilometers in just three months.

To adapt to network transmission in remote areas and eliminate the dependency on electricity, ZTE customized a solution for rural Liberia in two dimensions: system product innovation and energy support.

The ZTE Rural EcoSite solution uses low-power, wide-coverage wireless base station equipment supporting 700 MHz, 800 MHz, and 900 MHz, compatible with 2G/3G/4G/5G systems. This meets the network needs of different countries and leaves room for flexible upgrades at various stages. Additionally, to address the challenge of scarce transmission resources in remote areas, the solution supports various methods such as microwave, satellite, and relay technology, ensuring high-quality network services. The solution also adopts a pure solar power supply, coupled with smart lithium batteries for flexible power storage, ensuring continuous power at night or during cloudy days. The solar power supply can even help meet some of the local residents’ daily electricity needs, allowing them to charge household equipment.

Bridging the Digital Divide: What Network Construction Brings to 580,000 Residents in Remote Areas

The 128 sites have connected 128 remote villages in Liberia, meaning that 580,000 "offline" people living there, like Lina's family, now have the opportunity to access abundant information, knowledge, and resources. This will allow them to pursue a better quality of life and embrace a broader range of future possibilities.

As the profound gap between individuals and the digital world is reduced by this network "bridge," locals no longer have to "sprint to the distant hilltops." The network now allows them to consult medical experts on demand, obtain timely treatment services, carry out mobile financial transactions and converse with distant friends at any time. "With the network, I can chat with my mom and dad, learn foreign languages, send and receive money, pay local merchants using Orange Money, recharge my Orange Energies and know what the outside world is like," Lina once described her vision of a happy life to one of the network engineers.

Since its launch, the network has carried 510 gigabytes of data and 5700 Erlang voice traffic daily. We have witnessed the changes in the lives of Liberians, seeing more residents using data services, with data traffic growing at an annual rate of 50%.

Before the arrival of the rural network project, local agriculture faced challenges such as lack of technology and low productivity. The network enables farmers in remote areas of Liberia to access the latest agricultural information and learn planting techniques, thus increasing crop yields and income. In the future, rural areas are also expected to

deploy IoT devices, enhancing agricultural sustainability with smart functions like precision irrigation and pest and disease monitoring.

Equally important, the network also provides new opportunities for education and women's development. These 128 sites cover more than 100 schools, mainly in primary and junior high schools. With the network, students can access online courses and learning platforms, enjoying higher-quality digital educational resources that help bridge the urban-rural education gap. A primary school teacher from Brown Town, Rofus, expressed delight, believing that the activation of the sites would provide new learning pathways for children, reducing issues such as juvenile. Moreover, the network offers hundreds of thousands of rural the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills in crop cultivation and handicrafts, improving their employment prospects. The network opens doors for them to participate in social and economic activities, promoting gender equality and women's empowerment.

In the future, ZTE plans to leverage its R&D strength to balance affordability and technological advancement, launching a range of smartphones and MiFi terminals for residents in remote rural areas of Liberia, priced within their reach. Orange Liberia will also offer preferential policies and low-priced devices to further reduce barriers to access, accelerating digital inclusion in rural areas.

Towards a More Inclusive Future: Lighting up Digital Africa, Supporting the Digital World

Undoubtedly, the “offline” predicament of Liberia’s 580,000 population is not an isolated case; it is a common challenge faced by rural regions across Africa and the world. The ITU “Facts and Figures 2023” report highlights that only 37% of Africa’s population has Internet access, with cost being the main barrier to connection. For instance, in Ethiopia, the monthly rent for a 12M broadband line could consume over half a worker’s monthly salary.

Since entering the African telecommunications market in 1997, ZTE has partnered with mainstream operators in Africa, building networks for over 50 countries and accelerating communication networks to 3G, 4G, and even 5G. This has significantly improved network connectivity and coverage in the region, positioning ZTE as a pioneer stimulating local economic vitality.

From Liberia to Cameroon to Ethiopia, ZTE will continue to bring network coverage and technological warmth to marginalized communities, working alongside partners like Orange to pursue a digital future for Africa and the world, as symbolized by Lina and others.