East African country Rwanda plans to unveil the country’s first ever LTE (4G) mobile broadband network at the Transform Africa 2013 Summit which takes place 28-31 October.
This is according to a press release from the Rwandan government’s public relations and communications officer Magnifique Migisha.
The press release, which talks about the Transform Africa summit, also says that Rwanda’s 4G network was established through an agreement with the government and KT Corporation, a South Korean telecommunications provider.
The likes of South Africa, Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe have commercially launched LTE networks in Africa during 2012 and 2013.
The press release adds that Rwanda’s LTE network is planned to cover 95% of the population within three years. Rwanda’s population is 11.4 million, according to the GSMA.
Rwanda’s government expects that 95% broadband penetration in the country could translate into a 10-13% boost in gross domestic product (GDP) growth for country, based on reports by the International Telecommunications Union.
“Once infrastructure is in place, it is paramount that we all play our part in driving investments in content development and service delivery,” said chief executive officer of the Rwanda development board Valentine Rugwabiza.
Meanwhile, the Transform Africa summit is an initiative between the Rwanda’s government and the ITU.
Rwanda’s minister of youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana, has said the summit is a prime opportunity for leaders in the public and private sectors to explore ways of how technology can drive social and economic transformation.
“At Transform Africa, discussion will focus on how African countries can maximise the opportunities of the digital economy, harnessing its power to drive innovation, deliver services, as well as create jobs for young people," Nsengimana said.
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