Addressing different public officials here on Friday, the Minister for Communication, Science and Technology, Prof Makame Mbarawa, said after being connected with the network, the central government would be able to communicate with the regional authorities via the new technology.
We have already supplied regional offices with video conference facilities to be connected with the national fiber optic cable network soon,” said the minister while summing up his five day tour inspection of the laying down of the cable network project in southern regions and highland zone.
The minister’s tour to inspect the project included five regions of Lindi, Mtwara, Ruvuma, Njombe and Iringa.The project which is implemented by China International Telecommunication Construction Corporation (CITCC) and Tanzania Telecommunication Company Limited (TTCL) will be completed before the end of this month. Prof Mbarawa commended the two companies for carrying out the project efficiently and he said the project was in good progress.
He said the cost of internet services had decreased by 100 per cent for the past six months following cellular network companies being connected with the National Fiber Optic Cable Network. “The cost of internet services has decreased and it will keep on decreasing when the network use will be in full swing,” said Prof Mbarawa.
Prof Mbarawa noted that the infrastructure would enhance usage of ICT applications for sustainable socio-economic development including implementation of e-government, e-learning, e-health and e-commerce. “After completion of laying down the cable, one will not need to go to Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) for check up but the check up could be processed from here through e-health,” he explained. He said the network would also provide access to international submarine fiber optic cable namely Eassy and Seacom at their landing point in Dar es Salaam to all landlocked neighbouring countries for international connectivity.
According to the CITCC Tanzania ICT Project Manager, Mr Liang Gouqiang, after completion of laying down the cable there would be the Provisional Acceptance Test (PAT) for one month before all the regions could start using the network. “After completion of the project, we will carry out the province acceptance test for one month,” he said.
Eng. Upendo Haule, who is NICTBB Project Manager, said the remaining challenge was vandalism, saying some dishonest people were damaging the cable in search of copper wire which they use for making bangles. The NICTBB is managed and operated by Tanzania Telecommunications Limited (TTCL) on behalf of the government through the Ministry of Communication, Science and Technology (MCST).
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Ludovick Kazoka
Quelle/Source: Daily News, 25.03.2012
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