Satellite phone company Iridium Africa has launched its service in Uganda, Africa`s kingdom of the mountain gorilla and a country expected to reverse its status as one of the continent`s poorest economies with its thriving agricultural and tourism industries.
Iridium will provide its mobile satellite telecommunications service through service providers Mobile Telephone Network (MTN) Uganda and Uganda Telecom Ltd (UTL) and expects demand from particularly the agricultural and tourism sectors, said Mutua Mutua, Iridium Africa`s manager for East Africa at the launch of the mobile satellite service in Kampala today (03/12/99).
These industries - often stymied by being located outside of cellular or landline coverage in a country where an estimated population of 21 million is served by a mere 81 000 terrestrial (fixed) telephone lines and a cellular network of only 12 000 subscribers - are set to boom as Uganda emerges from its problematic political past.
"Uganda is fast becoming one of East Africa`s prime tourist destinations, drawing thousands of visitors to attractions such as Bwindi National Park, home to half of the surviving mountain gorillas in the world, Jinja, the source of the Nile and the Ruwenzori Mountains which offer some of the most challenging trekking in East Africa.
"While Uganda has much to offer, many travellers see Africa as a volatile continent to be avoided. Economics have also dictated that the telecommunications infrastructure is concentrated on those highly populated areas where the return on investment is greatest. This has left large parts of Uganda - where 80% of digital telephone lines are located in its capital Kampala - without telecommunications.
"Iridium, unlike other telecommunications operators, delivers a telephone service to every square centimeter of the globe, thereby both contributing to the economic development of those countries that need it most and ensuring entirely reliable telecommunications to business and tourist travellers, " Mutua said.
As part of its social responsibility program, Iridium will also donate eight phones - with free airtime of up to 1000 minutes per month, per phone - to the Ugandan government. The phones will be used for remote and disaster communications.
"Iridium satellite phones are ideal for those travelling in Uganda because our call costs are often far less than the per minute charges at a hotel, which can be as much as US$15 per minute. And unlike an hotel phone, you can always take your Iridium phone with you," says Mutua.
Iridium handsets sell for around US$1225 and the pager for approximately US$335. Airtime rates range between US$1,45 (for Iridium satellite-to-Iridium satellite phone calls) and a fixed international call rate of US$2,99 per minute (for calls made to or from an Iridium phone to any other phone system, anywhere in the world). All rates are exclusive of local VAT and taxes and in the case of handsets, exclusive of freight, local VAT and taxes.
A wide range of accessories tailored to the communication needs of each user such as portable docking stations, car kits and magnetic mountable antennas - are also available.
Iridium also allows subscribers to consolidate their telecommunications needs with one phone number, one contract and one monthly bill. Users roam effortlessly from satellite to cellular networks depending on the most cost-effective option for a given moment.
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