Wireless Federation

The Namibian mobile operators have agreed to the anti competitive interconnection fees charged on their networks. The Namibian Communication Commission (NCC) will establish the new interconnection fees within two months to avoid further conflict. The operators, however, want the NCC to review the interconnection fees in neighbouring countries to ensure that the newly agreed upon fees are regionally acceptable.
According to Minister of ICT Joel Kaapanda, the new fee regime will be benchmarked against the telecom practices in the Southern Africa Development Community.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

MTC, Namibia’s largest cellco, has invested nearly USD40 million (NAD300 million) in its network infrastructure in the year to date, in projects including raising SMS capacity, the deployment of a transmission backbone across several areas of the country and the replacement of central switching equipment with next generation architecture.

The company’s fibre-optic transmission network was extended in areas including the capital Windhoek, coastal regions and in the north, ending MTC’s long-standing reliance on renting backbone capacity from Telecom Namibia. The fibre project was implemented by Nera and Ericsson at a cost of NAD76 million this year. MTC also upgraded its radio access network and wireless broadband service capabilities, in partnership with Nokia Siemens Network and Motorola, at a cost of NAD88 million. MTC’s investments over the last 13 years total NAD1.6 billion.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

Namibia’s second mobile operator Cell One has announced that it has rolled out its GSM network to Karasburg, Khorixas and Omaruru, and its services have now reached all 13 regions of the country. According to chief marketing officer, Ivar Talmoen, Cell One covered around 70% of the country by the end of last year and continues to expand its footprint on a weekly basis. Powercom (trading as Cell One) launched commercial mobile services in Windhoek in March 2007, breaking the monopoly of incumbent provider Mobile Telecommunications.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

Namibia’s new mobile operator Cell One has raised ZAR 535 million in debt financing for its network roll-out, reports Business Day. Investec and Nedbank Capital raised the capital, which includes various tranches of long-term facilities, the first in the Namibian telecommunications sector. The network roll-out is also being funded by equity contributions from shareholders. Cell One has outsourced equipment sourcing and operations to Nokia Siemens Networks, while Norway’s Telecoms Management Partner is the managing shareholder. Other shareholders are state-owned power utility NamPower, investment firm Namic, insurer Old Mutual Namibia and the PowerCom Educational Trust. Cell One started operations in Windhoek in March.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

Telecommunications technology will in the coming years have a profound impact on many societies in Africa, contributing largely to the economic growth and wealth of millions of people on the continent.

This development, and issues related to the regulatory environment supporting the foreseen growth, will be the major themes of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation’s (CTO) European-African Telecommunications Roundtable in Helsinki and Bonn, a meeting that will bring together leading decision makers from Africa, Europe and the telecoms industry.

The CTO meeting will assemble high-level telecommunications officials from the organisation’s African member countries, with participants representing communications ministries and regulators from Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. Officials from Finnish and German government and industry will also take part.

The roundtable is built around themes including the telecommunications ecosystem: the socio-economic impact of information and communication technology (ICT) and telecommunications, case studies from countries including Finland, and how similar development can be encouraged in New Growth Markets; and Europe-Africa cooperation, including European ICT initiatives in Africa and project financing.

Nokia Siemens Networks and Nokia are playing a key role in the meeting, contributing speakers and engaging in the dialogue that aims to increase understanding between the two continents, initiate concrete projects and lay the foundation for future discussions.

“While people around the world share the universal desire to connect with others, Nokia has dedicated itself to develop an unparalleled insight into the specific needs and aspirations of individuals in emerging markets. Less than a month ago, Nokia launched seven new phones based on this in-depth understanding, which are not only designed to be accessible to these consumers, but to also help spark development within the communities that they live and work,” said Veli Sundback, executive vice president of corporate relations and responsibility for Nokia.

“By 2015 we expect five billion people will be connected by wire and wirelessly from one end of the planet to the other, and the clear majority of these people will come from new growth markets in Asia and Africa. We are committed to connecting the world, and this event is an excellent opportunity to engage key stakeholders to help make this vision a reality,” said Lauri Kivinen, head of corporate affairs, Nokia Siemens Networks.

The CTO European/African Telecommunications Roundtable will run from May 28-31 in Helsinki, and then continues until June 1 in Bonn.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

Telecommunications Technology will in the Coming Years Have a
Profound Impact on Many Societies in Africa, Contributing Largely to the
Economic Growth and Wealth of Millions of People on the Continent.
This Development, and Issues Related to the Regulatory Environment
Supporting the Foreseen Growth, will be the Major Themes of the
Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation’s (CTO) European-African
Telecommunications Roundtable in Helsinki and Bonn, a Meeting That Will
Bring Together Leading Decision Makers From Africa, Europe and the Telecoms
Industry
   

 The CTO meeting will assemble high-level telecommunications officials
from the organisation’s African member countries, with participants
representing communications ministries and regulators from Ghana, Kenya,
Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. Officials
from Finnish and German government and industry will also take part.
   

 The roundtable is built around themes including the telecommunications
ecosystem: the socio-economic impact of information and communication
technology (ICT) and telecommunications, case studies from countries
including Finland, and how similar development can be encouraged in New
Growth Markets; and Europe-Africa cooperation, including European ICT
initiatives in Africa and project financing.
  

  Nokia Siemens Networks and Nokia are playing a key role in the meeting,
contributing speakers and engaging in the dialogue that aims to increase
understanding between the two continents, initiate concrete projects and
lay the foundation for future discussions.
   

“While people around the world share the universal desire to connect
with others, Nokia has dedicated itself to develop an unparalleled insight
into the specific needs and aspirations of individuals in emerging markets.
Less than a month ago, Nokia launched seven new phones based on this
in-depth understanding, which are not only designed to be accessible to
these consumers, but to also help spark development within the communities
that they live and work,” said Veli Sundback, executive vice president of
corporate relations and responsibility for Nokia.
   

“By 2015 we expect five billion people will be connected by wire and
wirelessly from one end of the planet to the other, and the clear majority
of these people will come from new growth markets in Asia and Africa. We
are committed to connecting the world, and this event is an excellent
opportunity to engage key stakeholders to help make this vision a reality,”
said Lauri Kivinen, head of corporate affairs, Nokia Siemens Networks.
   

The CTO European/African Telecommunications Roundtable will run from
May 28-31 in Helsinki, and then continues until June 1 in Bonn.
   

 About Nokia
 Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and
growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. Nokia
makes a wide range of mobile devices and provides people with experiences
in music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games and business
mobility through these devices. Nokia also provides equipment, solutions
and services for communications networks.
   

 About Nokia Siemens Networks
 Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading global enabler of communications
services. The company provides a complete, well-balanced product portfolio
of mobile and fixed network infrastructure solutions and addresses the
growing demand for services with 20,000 service professionals worldwide.
The combined pro-forma net sales of EUR17.1 billion in fiscal year 2006
make Nokia Siemens Networks one of the largest telecommunications
infrastructure companies. Nokia Siemens Networks has operations in some 150
countries and is headquartered in Espoo, Finland. It combines Nokia’s
Networks Business Group and the carrier related businesses of Siemens
Communications.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
 

Motorola has deployed a wind and solar power system to operate MTC Namibia’s GSM cell site at Dordabis village in the Khomas region of Namibia. The trial with MTC Namibia supports the African operator’s strategy for increased voice and data service coverage in rural areas of Namibia. The Dordabis cell site will remain a part of MTC Namibia’s live GSM network throughout the trial.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

Motorola has deployed a wind and solar power system to operate MTC Namibia’s GSM cell site at Dordabis village in the Khomas region of Namibia. The trial with MTC Namibia supports the African operator’s strategy for increased voice and data service coverage in rural areas of Namibia. The Dordabis cell site will remain a part of MTC Namibia’s live GSM network throughout the trial.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

Telegeography writes…Namibian GSM operator Mobile Telecommunications (MTC) has invested NAD17 million (USD2.4 million) in satellite technology to expand the reach of its GSM network to remote regions. The country’s only cellco has awarded a contract to Advanced Telecoms for the implementation of a satellite backhaul system, with implementation and support being provided by domestic satellite firm SatCom. The rollout will see terminals deployed countrywide and will enable MTC to expand its coverage into previously unserved rural areas, including desert zones. The first phase of the project was completed in November last year to cater for some 15 new base stations while a number of others should be deployed by end-February.

Wireless Mobile Telecom

The largest mobile phone network operator in Namibia, Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) has announced plans to launch a 3G network. The company, which is 34% owned by Portugal Telecom, said that German engineering and mobile network equipment group Siemens will build the network.

According to the German vendor, it will supply and install a brand new 3G HSDPA network. The installation of such a state-of-the-art system will , Siemens said, not only enable MTC to better fend off the coming threat from a soon to be launched competing mobile operator, but will be one of the first such networks in sub-Saharan Africa.

The new rival to MTC, Powercom which is backed by local utility player NamPower and Norwegian group Telecom Management Partners, has said that it too will build a 3G network, though it has yet to say when this may happen.

Local investment analysts have yet to be convinced that installing such high-powered networks in relatively poor countries makes economic sense. 3G networks have yet to prove themselves profitable in most advanced economies, never mind in some of the world’s poorest countries. On the other hand, supporters of 3G in Africa argue that the relatively poor state of the fixed line networks there make mobile broadband services much more attractive to the population.

Vodacom in South Africa has already launched 3G services as has Mauritius. Meanwhile next generation mobile networks are being constructed in Zimbabwe and Tanzania.

Source- http://www.3gnewsroom.com

Technorati : 3G, HSDPA, MTC, Mobile, Namibia, South Africa, Vodacom
Ice Rocket : 3G, HSDPA, MTC, Mobile, Namibia, South Africa, Vodacom