- Sonatel, the national telecommunications provider in Senegal, has signed a US$ 13 million contract to a Canadian company to extend its services to rural areas. Sonatel is to improve its services and network by delivering fixed wireless voice, fax and Internet services to its customers throughout Senegal.
The Montreal-based company SR Telecom today signed a US$ 13 million contract with Senegal's telecom provider Sonatel. According to a statement issued by SR Telecom, Sonatel had selected an SR500 fixed wireless access system for its rural communications development project, "aimed at meeting the Senegalese government's ongoing universal access objectives."
The SR500 system is a "high-capacity point-to-multipoint fixed wireless access system that enables operators to extend their reach and deliver a full range of tailor-made voice and data applications to end-users in remote locations," according to its producer, SR Telecom, which is delivering the system throughout the world.
Adding to its already large network of SR500 systems, Senegal's Sonatel now is to deliver voice, fax and Internet services to its customers. Upon completion of this two-year project, SR500 is to be installed in more than 650 villages across the country.
The Canadian telecom supplier is also to provide certain services for Sonatel, including field surveys, network design, installation, training and project management, the SR Telecom statement said.
- This contract is the result of the longstanding business relationship we have built with Sonatel, today commented SR Telecom's President Pierre St-Arnaud. "Since the late 1980's, Sonatel has demonstrated a strong belief in the benefits of fixed wireless access technology and services that SR Telecom provides," he added.
According to Mr St-Arnaud, SR500 was an "ideal choice for meeting universal access objectives in remote communities" in countries such as Senegal. Signals from an SR500 central station reach of up to 720 kilometres, providing end-users a wide range of telecom services.
Sonatel is Senegal's national telecommunications carrier. It offers a full range of telephony and Internet services through its fully digital network.
Senegal is among sub-Saharan Africa's front riders when it comes to Internet access, although services so far are concentrated in central areas. In October last year, Sonatel improved in broadband Internet services, offering a bandwidth of up to 310 megabits a second.
According to Sonatel, Senegal is already the country in sub-Saharan Africa that has the second most significant Internet connectivity, only surpassed by South Africa. The price of Internet access has also fallen subsequently as more and more Senegalese companies and households are connected.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.