Rwanda’s ICT blueprint dates back to late 90’s but major gains were made following the successful deployment of fiber backbone and access networks connecting all the 30 districts of the country in 2011. It was a historic moment to witness the launch of the Government network and centralised systems such as the Integrated Financial Management Information & System (IFMIS).
While various technologies – both wired and wireless – had been introduced in the country, the coverage was low and the services penetration limited to major cities, and to certain categories of users, until late 2013, when the Government of Rwanda in partnership with KT Corporation, an investor from South Korea, took another bold decision to launch 4G LTE services that will provide equitable coverage to all Rwandans with target to have 95 per cent of the population covered by this technology in four years.
It is with the launch and continuous expansion of 4G services that we noticed dramatic changes in product and pricing, both on existing and new technologies. For instance, 10.5GB cost Rwf30,000 on Tigo in 2015 and now 30GB cost 10,000 on Airtel; 30GB of 4G stood at Rwf98,500 in 2015 but now with Rwf6,000 the user enjoys an unlimited access to 4G throughout the month.
The adoption of 4G services across all operators and other internet services providers has been slow in the consumer market (individuals); however, with an important mission assigned to the company charged to develop, deploy and operationalise the provision of a universal mobile broadband network based on 4G LTE technology, the slow adoption didn’t impede the realisation of 96.6 per cent population coverage in June 2018 – just six months behind initial schedule, but with a bigger coverage.
It is true that 4G enabled smartphones remain largely expensive and out of reach for many – with penetration rate put at just 15 per cent (of the estimated 1.3 million smartphones in the country) by end of 2018. While you can get a 3G phone at US$50 (about Rwf45,000), you can hardly get a 4G enabled handset for less than US$100 (about Rwf90,000). However, this rate could have been higher if the technology adoption had been embraced by all operators, and many Rwandans could have benefited from the availability of such advanced and widely available powerful mobile broadband technology. Still, that 4G technology is powering our critical sectors such as education, health, commerce and transport – in both public and private domains – is worth celebrating.
In its quest to democratise the access to 4G services, KT Rwanda Networks, in partnership with its retailers, has consistently launched new packages and products with an emphasis on affordability. It is in the same spirit that new unlimited smartphone packages have been introduced to Rwandans to enjoy the same benefits as those in developed markets such as USA, especially given the coverage levels the country has managed to achieve.
A user with a 4G compatible smartphone is now able to browse, stream, chart, and live the unlimited experience on smartphones for 30 days, and for a cost of as low as Rwf5,000.
In particular, the packages present immense opportunities to young entrepreneurs involved in mobile based applications and services. The timing is crucial as major initiatives are expected to transform service delivery in Rwanda; from the heightening of e-commerce, to the smart administration initiatives and to the much anticipated launch of Mara Smartphones, the first Made-in-Rwanda/Africa full-scale smartphone.
It is also important to note that the decision by Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) and Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA) to consistently advocate for and reward developers of mobile phone applications will only help further increase efficiency in government service delivery.
It is, therefore, with high certainty that the future of digital access and literacy will evolve around a multi-purpose mobile computing device known as "smartphone”
The writer is the Chief Strategy Officer at KT Rwanda Networks.
The views expressed in this article are of the author.