AOS Ltd, a Rwandan based ICT service provider and operator of the National Data Centre has announced a significant drop in service charges effective from December 5th, 2016.

In an interview with The New Times, DaeHeak AN (Aaron), the CEO of AOS, said that AOS is reducing the prices offered by the Data Centre; web and mail hosting services by 88% with the lowest option being Rwf 2,025 per month (Rwf 24,300 annually) and a 50% discount has been made to Cloud Computing Services with lowest option being Rwf 63,700 per month.

The New Times: What is the rationale behind these price reductions and what impact do you think it will have on the clientele?

Aaron: The major reason for these reductions in prices is to enhance the adoption of ICT in the private sector and encourage Rwandans to host locally. AOS believes that hosting locally will have a positive impact on the end-user experience and the country’s ICT sector as a whole through the high speed which is unlike the hosting abroad alternative.

We believe that this reduction in the cost of web and mail hosting services will spur a growth in the content development industry; the most popular ones being the news agencies, entertainment websites and the local gaming community. This reduction will also make AOS more competitive not only locally but in the EAC region as well.

AOS is willing to offer SMEs support that will eventually bring about the creation of new businesses, enhancing competitiveness as a result, creating jobs for Rwandans.

The New Times: Can we expect other changes to happen in the company?

Aaron: AOS is dedicated to the path being taken towards ICT development in Rwanda and because of that, the company is now also offering web design services which is bundled with free web and mail hosting for the most popular packages along with this reduction in web and mail hosting prices. Now companies will be able to have their websites both designed and hosted by us.

The New Times: What are the benefits of hosting with AOS?

Aaron: AOS has a team of technical and sales professionals who are committed to providing high quality of services and good online support to our customers, to ensure a secure and reliable environment where people can host their data. The benefits of hosting locally and with AOS include; 24/7 complete monitoring, a good Disaster Recovery facility, full CCTV coverage, well-built cooling technology and a reliable power facility, among many others.

The New Times: What are the services offered by AOS Datacentre?

Aaron: The Company operates a Tier III Data Centre facility. The National Data Centre is on the most reliable connectivity network and hosts many local websites and applications. AOS provides hosting services such as web and mail hosting, Server collocation, Backups, Data Recovery and Cloud Computing services to Government institutions and private companies.

The New Times: AOS has been in operation since 2014, what other technologies have you deployed in Rwanda?

Aaron: AOS is primarily an IT Systems integrator. We have developed a robust e-procurement system for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning as well as an integrated CCTV solution that you have probably seen on the streets in Kigali.

We will soon unveil an e-learning platform that will be hosted on our infrastructure and will provide access to tailor-made learning content to Rwandan students.

We are also supporting the delivery of other systems and applications across banking and health sector.