MTN to offer 3G in Cote d'Ivoire and Benin
MTN, Africa’s largest mobile operator, has been awarded 3G licences in Cote d’Ivoire and Benin.
It is the first company to be awarded a 3G licence in Benin and will be able to provide mobile telecommunications services using any technology within the defined agreed frequency range without additional fees. This includes 3G, 4G, LTE, Wimax, Wi-Fi outdoor and the use of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol).
“This is exciting news for our customers, as they will now enjoy the benefits of world-class connectivity. We are grateful to the governments of Cote d’Ivoire and Benin for enabling MTN to further enhance the experience of mobile telephony for our customers,” says Christian de Faria, MTN Group Chief Commercial Officer.
Although the news comes as a welcome upgrade for customers in the two nations, both markets are relatively small with the combined population of the nations at under 30 million.
READ MORE FROM AFRICAN BUSINESS REVIEW:
South Africa's dirty feet - counting carbon emissions
Traditional vs. new marketing methods
Changing the landscape of money transfers
The Ivorian Minister of Post and Information Communication Technologies (PTIC), Bruno Koné, delivered the news of the awarding of the 3G licence to MTN Cote d’Ivoire last Thursday at MTN offices in Abidjan.
It came as MTN held a press conference to detail the SIM and subscriber registration process in MTN service centres and the equipments related to the West African Cable System (WACS).
The submarine cable, which stretches over 14,000km between Portugal and South Africa, will provide a “dream” service in the country at international standards said Wim Vanhelleputte, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Cote d’Ivoire.
“This is a dream come true for many Ivorians whose internet access has been held back for a very long time. The cable will allow more Ivorians to enjoy fast access to the internet. We have already identified about 30 percent of subscribers who will be the first to experience and enjoy the 3G service,” he added.
African Business Review is now available on the iPad. Click here to download it.
