9/2/08

First 3G Video Call Made in Rwanda

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame made the inaugural 3G video call on Rwandatel new network last week, while at a local trade fair. The mobile operator is currently testing its 3G network prior to a commercial launch.

"The President made a video call when he visited our stand. He was talking to one of our site engineers," Cleophas Kabasiita, the Public Relations Manager of Rwandatel said yesterday, in an interview with The New Times newspaper.

Last year, Lap Green Networks paid the Rwandan government US$50 million as an initial payment for an 80% stake in Rwandatel. Lap Green said they would pay the remaining US$50 million owed by 2009. During the bidding process, the company agreed to pay US$100 million for the 80% stake. The government sold the remaining 20% of Rwandatel to the Social Security Fund.

Lap Green Networks also owns a majority stake in Uganda Telecom (UTL) and says that it plans to launch a borderless roaming service between the two networks.

As part of the sale agreement, the company agreed to a significant investment in the network - including the deployment of the 3G network. The company has deployed some 80 new 3G base stations out of a planned 154 for the initial launch - and will support up to a million customers.

Lap Green is an arm of the Libyan government, created to manage its portfolio of investments outside the country.

The country currently has one other operator, MTN Rwanda and is tendering for a third license.






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Jean-Louis Kayitenkore
Procurement Consultant
Gsm: +250-08470205
Home: +250-55104140
P.O. Box 3867
Kigali-Rwanda
East Africa
Blog: http://www.cepgl.blogspot.com
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