MTN South Africa has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China Telecom and Huawei for strategic collaboration that could advance the mobile operator's offerings in 5G, cloud, AI and business solutions, it said on Tuesday.

"This partnership unites China Telecom's global expertise in network solutions with MTN's expansive regional reach and Huawei's advanced technology, creating a powerful alliance to drive digital infrastructure development on the continent," said Kai Chen, executive vice president of China Telecom Global .

MTN South Africa, the country's second biggest mobile operator, said the partnership would unlock new business opportunities and offer South Africans enhanced technology, including the internet of things.

The internet of things, or IoT, describes devices connecting to the internet that aren't primarily computers, such as fridges.

"For MTN's business customers, network service improvements could offer new possibilities in smart mining and industrial applications," said Tumi Sekhukhune-Chamayou, chief enterprise business officer at MTN South Africa. (Reuters)