Communication, Science and Technology Minister Professor Makame Mbarawa told journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the government had since contacted five mobile phone firms to develop rural communication infrastructure.
Profesor Mbawa said that the project was aimed at ensuring wider coverage of the mobile phone services in rural areas to allow Tanzanians in rural areas improve their means of production.
He identified the companies as Vodacom, Zantel, Airltel, Tigo and TTCL, and noted that all of them had been awarded tenders to facilitate the move after having undergone all tender processing procedures.
Prof. Mbarawa said the project is jointly funded by the government and the World Bank -- as a loan -- but couldn’t specify exactly how much each of the funding partners cough up.
However, he added that the money had been invested to facilitate the construction of the communication towers and other related tools in 869 villages in 29 districts across the country.
Prof. Mbarawa also said that the government would expand phone communication technologies in rural areas as part of the ministry’s role to ensure the ‘Big Results Now’ initiative.
He also noted that phone companies had abandoned such areas because of poor business attractions.
To meet these challenges, the government had established ‘the communication fund for all’ with a view to addressing the existing irregularities affecting the communication sector in rural areas.
“The main objective of the establishment of the fund is to ensure that all Tanzanians are reliably reached with the mobile phone communication technologies wherever they are in the country, and with ease especially in those areas already abandoned by businessmen thus pose danger for their development,” he said.
Government efforts to send mobile phone communication technologies to rural areas will involve five major mobile companies to some 152 wards by next March.
He said three mobile phone companies had since volunteered to build their own communication towers in remote areas in additional to 48 wards at their own expense – and didn’t have to wait for government subsidy – spending at least $200,000 (Sh320m) apiece.
He identified the companies and the number of wards in brackets as Tigo (4), Airtel (4) and Vodacom (40), and commended the companies for their support and readiness to work with the government.
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Quelle/Source: IPPmedia, 25.01.2014
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