KIGALI - The Minister in the office of the President in charge of Technology and Research, Professor Romain Murenzi, has said that the business sector will be required to pay a fee to access wireless broadband technology.

He was reacting to the uncertainty raised in a story published by Focus Newspaper on of whether the business sector would included in the roll out of the wireless broadband technology being constructed by the Rwanda Information Technology Authority (RITA).

"They will be considered at a fee. The cost will depend on the traffic,” Murenzi said in a phone interview with The New Times.

He added that there would be more discussions on the issue after completion of the project. He, however, didn’t rule out the possibility of subsidizing the fee.

The construction of the $7m fiber optic infrastructure to cover Kigali and the suburbs is underway and will later be extended to the rest of the country by 2009.

The first project is expected to end by December and aims at improving connectivity for better communication and business.

"Our aim is for all Rwandans to have access to universal communication. You can be in Rusizi, study and get a Masters from abroad. It will change completely the way we live. It will be the backbone of communication,” Murenzi underscored adding that the countrywide coverage of wireless broadband meant more business prospects for Rwanda.

"People can come and start a data centre in Rwanda. Business will have more stations upcountry with more people having access to information,” the Minister explained.

The optic fiber project was initiated by the government in conjunction with RITA. It aims at increasing the speed at which data, voice and video is transmitted.

On completion, Rwanda will be the first African country to have national coverage of wireless broadband technology.

"This is a very critical project that will accelerate the development of the communication sector as well as national development. ICT is a crosscutting pillar for Rwanda’s Vision 2020 and this infrastructure bodes well with the country’s development roadmap,” the Executive Director of RITA, Nkubito Bakuramutsa, said in a statement  .

"This project will connect government institutions, provide high quality connectivity to homes, grow businesses and stimulate the private sector through affordable and reliable broadband services,” He noted.

The first phase that will cover 134km is already underway in the city where the optic fiber is already being laid.    

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