Gov’t to invite tenders for new telecom company

GASABO - The government is to invite bids for another phone and internet provider. Bids will be invited from local and foreign firms, said Prof. Romain Murenzi, the Minister in the office of the President in charge of Science, Technology, Scientific Research and ICT. The eventual winner will work in partnership with the government and the two existing telephone and internet providers to boost telecommunication services in the country. “For Rwanda to successfully position herself as a regional ICT hub, we have to implement all it requires for adequate telephone and internet services,” the minister explained at networking meeting at Telecom House on Friday. Murenzi said that the government wants five million Rwandans to have access to telecommunication within the next four years. The government hired international ICT consultants to conduct a feasibility study on the use of fibre optic cables and Wimax network infrastructure. The study revealed that the fibre optic connection could be used for all 30 districts, while Wimax which use wireless network system could be provided to all administrative sectors. Currently, the two telecommunication companies in the country are MTN, and Rwandatel owned by Lap Green, a Libyan firm. Ends