In many parts of Africa, industries still face crippling gaps in Wi-Fi connectivity. Vast mining operations, ports, construction projects and energy facilities often extend far beyond the reach of fibre or LTE networks. They are also too expansive for traditional meshed Wi-Fi to be cost effective, and latency is a big issue – especially for real-time machine operation. This leaves businesses struggling to maintain reliable communication and operational oversight.
A new generation of long-range wireless access technology – Super Wi-Fi – is changing that. Designed for industrial-scale, outdoor environments, Super Wi-Fi extends coverage up to ten times further than conventional Wi-Fi, providing robust connectivity across wide, complex sites.
Solving traditional challenges
“Many heavy industrial NEC XON customers struggle with traditional Wi-Fi due to range, latency and interference,” explains Willem Wentzel, senior architect at NEC XON.
“Now we can offer them Super Wi-Fi, which overcomes those barriers. It’s built with intelligent antenna technology and advanced radio algorithms that mitigate noise and extend coverage, delivering high throughput and low latency. In ideal circumstances this extends across multiple kilometres but for more real-world environments we find the effective range is 900m to 1.3km.”
Bernadette George, NEC XON presales: 4G, 5G & oRAN ecosystem connect and access, said: “Unlike LTE, which requires costly licensed spectrum and agreements with mobile operators, Super Wi-Fi operates in unlicensed bands – making it faster to deploy and more cost-effective for private industrial use. Each base station can cover hundreds of metres to several kilometres, connecting customer premises equipment (CPE) units across mining pits, port terminals or remote field offices.”
Beyond its range, the technology offers industrial-grade resilience. The latest models feature 8×8 MIMO smart antennas, dual-band operation at 2.4GHz, 5GHz and lower 6GHz, and rugged IP67-rated enclosures for outdoor or hazardous conditions. Explosion-proof variants are also available for oil and gas environments.
Super Wi-Fi’s architecture supports centralised cloud management, enabling configuration, analytics and proactive maintenance. This allows operators to integrate connectivity with other critical services – from CCTV and analytics to cybersecurity and managed network operations – creating a single, unified view of site performance and safety.
Working examples
Early deployments abroad have already shown tangible results. In Senegal, Super Wi-Fi reduced the number of required access sites by 90% in a citywide rollout, winning the “Connecting West Africa” award. Similar success has been recorded at industrial terminals in Malaysia and large warehouses in Mexico and India.
According to Wentzel, the technology’s simplicity is part of its strength. “It’s easy to install, requires far fewer access points than traditional networks and integrates cleanly into existing infrastructure. The result is lower total cost of ownership and better operational continuity – especially in sectors where downtime isn’t an option.”
Super Wi-Fi is now being positioned for deployment across African industries where coverage, mobility and reliability are critical – from mining and ports to utilities, construction and banking. As Wentzel puts it: “Super Wi-Fi is not just about better connectivity. It’s about enabling safer, more efficient and more intelligent operations across Africa’s most challenging environments.”
About NEC XON
NEC XON is a leading African integrator of ICT solutions and part of NEC, a Japanese global company. The holding company has operated in Africa since 1963 and delivers communications, energy, safety, security and digital solutions. It co-creates social value through innovation to help overcome serious societal challenges. The organisation operates in 54 African countries and has a footprint in 16 of them. Regional headquarters are located in South, East and West Africa. NEC XON is a level 1-certified broad-based black economic empowerment business. Discover more at www.nec.africa.
