In just eight months since the initial planning stage, Tanzania's fourth mobile network, the Vodacom Tanzania Ltd network, is now up and running. Winning a turnkey contract for the supply of equipment and infrastructure in January this year, Siemens Telecommunications has achieved a record roll-out of the network, with significant implications for the growth of the cellular market in Tanzania and throughout Africa.
Says Siemens Telecommunications Key Account Manager for Africa, Fernando Goncalves: "The impact of this new network for the Tanzanian economy is enormous, not only in terms of direct investment but also in bringing job creation in the form of service providers, dealers and other necessary players. The quick roll-out and extensive geographic coverage of the network gives Vodacom a significant advantage in Tanzania, boosting the confidence of subscribers and stimulating the country's economic development."
"With Vodacom's initial investment of $80 million, the network has already grown significantly since its commercial launch on August 15 - 3 000 subscribers signed up on the first day of operation, bringing to 15 000 the current number of subscribers - and has created more than 75 employment opportunities," says Goncalves.
With over 80 base stations covering all major cities in Tanzania, including Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Arusha, and Dodoma, the Vodacom Tanzania network is the largest network in the country. At the rate subscribers are joining the network, says Goncalves, it is expected to attract some 100 000 subscribers by the end of its second year of operation. The growth in the number of subscribers will be accompanied by an expansion of the covered areas.
In meeting tight deadlines for this project, Goncalves continues, the main challenges lay in securing site acquisition and GSM/microwave frequency allocations by the regulator. "These had a major impact on the network planning and led to the re-design of its entire architecture before reaching the final version."
"Operating on the dual band GSM 1800 Mhz and 900 Mhz, the new Tanzania network has a number of unique features," says Goncalves. "The 1800 Mhz spectrum overcomes problems of shortage on the 900 spectrum, providing greater bandwidth and the potential for value-added communications services. Another major innovation is that prepaid customers will be served by an Intelligent Network which provides added reliability and a better quality service.
"In keeping with our philosophy to render maximum support to our customers in Africa, the Siemens team of skilled workers has grown from just a few at the inception of the project, to over 150 people dedicated to the task of providing support for the Vodacom network and at the same time facilitating skills transfer to the Vodacom organisation in Tanzania," says Goncalves.
The largest supplier of cellular infrastructure in Africa and enabling mobile communications in at least 18 countries, Siemens has currently supplied the infrastucture for 25 mobile networks in Africa and remains committed to Africa's economic development.
Share
