With a target of 600,000 subscribers by June and a double by end of the year, Rwandatel is bracing itself for post-paid clients. The company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Patrick Kariningufu, revealed that the platform is currently under construction. “The post-paid package targets corporate and the business segment of the market who need continuous communication,” he added. The platform expected to be ready by end of this month will be launched within the next month of April. Currently, Rwandatel has over 250,000 active subscribers on the prepaid package, since switching to the GSM technology early last December. The technology enables subscribers to conduct wireless video calls, and access broadband Internet among other uses. The increase in the number has been attributed to the low call rates across MTN and the sale of affordable mobile handsets at the launch and the provision of better services. Last month, Rwandatel also introduced the ‘Choose Your Pair,’ promotion, where a customer buys a pair of SIM cards at Rwf2,000 each loaded with Rwf1,000 worth of airtime and 100 free short messages (SMS). Additionally, it allows the subscribed users to call each other for free between 2200hrs and 2300hrs. The promotion scheduled to end month was expected to attract at 150,000 subscribers. This would bring the number to 350,000. However the attracted pairs are over 50 percent below the target. Meanwhile, the company jointly owned by LAP Green networks a subsidiary of Libyan African Portfolio (LAP) and National Social Security Fund is bolstering its network to increase its coverage in rural Rwanda. It is estimated that about 85 percent of Rwandatel’s customers are in Kigali city and the company plans to roll-out services across the country. The expansion drive is expected to contribute towards achieving government’s targets of about 6 million subscribers by 2012. Under the same developments of expansion and offering of better services, Rwandatel plans to roam in 70 countries worldwide. Ends
