The company has also availed the U190 Chinese phone at Rwf11,000, which is considered to be the cheapest phone in the history of Rwanda

Rwandatel, the country’s oldest telecom company is to import more GSM mobile phones following their growing demand on the local market.

Currently, the U120 Chinese phones manufactured by Huawei are out of stock after just a month since their introduction on the local market during the launch of new network service technology.

GSM is an acronym for Global System for Mobile communications. GSM enables subscribers to conduct wireless video calls, and access broadband Internet among other uses.
At only Rwf19,000, the phone’s enormous functions and accessories such as radio, camera, and call conferencing were believed to have raised unanticipated demand. Within the first week of operation, the company had recorded over 55,000 subscribers.

More than 120,000 active subscribers were registered in three weeks. According to company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Patrick Kariningufu, the phones are in transit and are expected in the country with three to four weeks.

Without divulging more details, he said that they will be availed on the market at a cost higher than the first price of Rwf19,000, since they cost more than the price at which they are sold.

Adding, "Despite government’s waiver on handset, the total cost of shipping handset exceeds Rwf19,000 .”

Kariningufu disclosed that the first batch of phones had a subsidy of about 65 percent on each  one yet the company’s sole responsibility is not selling handsets but rather selling airtime and SIM cards.

The company officials also attributed the increasing number of subscribers to better network and service delivery to the unexpected number of subscribers within its infancy of operations. Some of the better services include doubling of credit as bonus and clarity of the network.

The comapny has also availed the U190 Chinese phone at Rwf11,000, which is considered to be the cheapest phone in the history of Rwanda.

Rwandatel embraced 2G, 3G, and GSM technology early December 2008, after its acquisition by LAP Green networks a subsidiary of Libyan African Portfolio. Prior to switching to 3G technology, it was operating under its CDMA technology.

Meanwhile the company jointly owned with the National Social Security Fund of Rwanda is set to construct 86 masts by end of February this year in a bid to bolster its national network coverage.

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