Pulse Site Kit

Two ways to build the kit

Both builds use the same phone host, USB hub and switch on trays in MTN's existing server rack. They differ in how they hold the phones. Variant A uses only parts that we buy. Variant B adds one custom 3D-printed rack module.

The models use real sizes in millimetres. "approx." marks a size that is not confirmed.

A against B

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The rack setup

In an MTN server room the kit needs no cabinet. It sits on trays in MTN's existing rack: 2 trays for variant A, 1 tray for variant B. MTN plugs the kit into the rack power strip (PDU), which runs on the room's UPS and generator.

• Both variants need 5U for their parts. Variant A needs 7U in total and variant B needs 8U, because you lift the phones out of the top.
• A kit that stands on its own needs a cabinet: the Millennals 6U wall cabinet, 600 × 450 (Jiji, Ikeja, ₦65,000). Its front door is not confirmed.
• 6U is too small to lift the phones out. 6U holds the parts of both variants (5U). Variant A needs 7U and variant B needs 8U to lift the phones out.
• The trays fit 600 × 450 cabinets. Their fit in MTN's rack is not confirmed. Check the rack depth before you buy them. The tray depth is not confirmed. The model uses 300 mm (estimate).
• Check the socket type of MTN's rack PDU before you buy the power strip. The strip in the listing photo has a UK plug.
• In a steel cabinet, test the phones' cellular signal with the door closed.

Today: the interim setup

Today the phones are in our apartment. MTN testers use the console in a browser. An MTN VM serves the console through a small reverse proxy (Caddy).

We prefer Tailscale for the one link. The other option is an SSH tunnel that the PC opens to the VM.

The MTN router gives the phones Wi-Fi for app traffic only. A UPS for the router and the hub comes later.

Across the country

Each kit runs the full backend for its own phones, including the drive loop and the scheduler. When a run finishes, the kit sends the run folder to the centre. The centre gives MTN one console and one report for every state.

A run makes hundreds of round trips to its phone, one after another. Inside a kit, every trip goes over USB. On our own fleet on 9 Sep 2026, a direct LAN gave 68–95 ms per round trip. A Tailscale relay through Paris gave 0.3–1.1 s. If the link to the centre drops, the kit continues its tests and sends the results later.

One link per state, not one per phone

Today every cable-free phone keeps its own network path to the server. In the kit, a cable connects each phone to the phone host. So each state has one network link to keep alive.

Inside one kit

The phone host drives the phones over USB and powers them through the hub. Control needs no root. Every time a phone connects, the phone host reapplies the phone settings over USB: stay awake, doze off and system updates blocked. Only 1 or 2 capture phones are rooted, and they also run the keeper module. MTN's rack power strip (PDU) powers the host, the hub and the network switch. It runs on the room's UPS and generator, so the kit stays on through a power cut. Each phone reaches the cell network on its own SIM, which is the same path a customer's phone uses.

Bill of materials

This is the part list for one variant A kit. We saw the prices on 8 Oct 2026. The kit has no UPS, because MTN server rooms already have UPS and generator power. The phones and the SIMs are not in this list. The Phones section covers them.

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• Both subtotals are for variant A. They include the host, RAM, SSD, USB hub, switch, 10 USB-C cables, 4 micro-USB cables, the phone stand, 2 trays and the power strip.
• Not included: delivery for the RAM, the SSD, the trays, the power strip and the cabinet (not shown).
• Variant B swaps the stand (₦79,587) and 1 tray (₦10,000) for the printed module. The module cost is not confirmed.

What we buy today

This is what we bought today, through our contact in Computer Village. The NVIDIA PC has USB-A ports, so we need no USB-C adapter.

Today's list

Item	Detail	Price
Router plan	MTN router plan Gold, 30 days (MTN router plans)Up to 50 Mbps, then 5 Mbps after 400 GB.	₦40,000
Powered USB hub	4-port USB 3.0 hub	₦15,000
Second item	Vendor quote	₦15,000
Remaining items	Vendor quote	₦4,500
Dispatch	Dispatch to Lekki	₦8,500

5V only. A 9V or 12V router adapter can burn the hub and the phones.

We already have an extension socket, so today's list has no power strip.

Other options seen on Jumia and Konga

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Phones

Today the kit has 4 phones. All 4 connect by micro-USB.

Root is only for API capture

We do not need root to control a phone. adb, uiautomator2, screen capture and the live view all work over USB without root.

We need root only for API capture, which decrypts the app's HTTPS traffic. The reason is that the app trusts only the system certificate store.

So most phones stay unrooted and match what customers own. 1 or 2 rooted phones do API capture, and they also run the keeper module.

Recommended additions

Root is optional for these phones. We saw the prices on 8 Oct 2026, between 15:10 and 16:30 WAT.

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The slots of variant B take phones up to 170 × 78 × 9 mm. This page does not confirm the sizes of the foldables. Check them before you order.

Dropped: The Nothing Phone (3a) is import only (₦733,647 + customs). The Infinix Hot 50i is out of stock everywhere.

When something fails

Each failure has one layer that brings the system back. A person is only needed when hardware fails for good.

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Decisions

• MTNVery likelyKits sit in MTN offices, on MTN's internal network.
• MTNMaybeA small server in each office rack. This is the open risk.
• MTNVery likelyTest SIMs with data for every phone.
• MTNVery likelyA named contact in each state. The design aims for zero routine visits.
• MTNTo agreeMTN plugs each kit into the rack power strip (PDU) on the room's protected power (UPS and generator), not into an office wall socket.