MTN Uganda announced that it plans to upgrade its network to provide its customers with internet speeds of up to 21.6Mbps.

Ernst Fonternel, chief marketing officer at MTN Uganda, said with this latest upgrade subscribers would be able to enjoy faster downloads, superior quality live streaming and video chatting.

He added that the company also plans to extend the fibre network backbone aimed at building regional switching centres in the East, West, North and Central regions of Uganda.

“We have improved and widened our 3G+ network coverage to deliver the newly improved speed to almost a million data customers supported with the widest network coverage, a wide range of devices and affordable tariffs” Fonternel commented.

In terms of infrastructure, he said MTN Uganda would have an additional 600km of fibre infrastructure completed reaching 2,800km of fibre by the end of 2012 achieved through expansion of its national fibre network.

Fonternel said this was expected to provide the capacity for high speed data connectivity and wider national coverage of 3G mobile data services that extends internet access to the rural areas of Uganda.

“This investment is aimed at providing our customers with the best possible user experience across the country.

"We are happy that we shall now be able to provide our customers with this world-class internet that promises speed, convenience, coverage and affordability,” Fonternel said.

Over the last two years, MTN has made serious investments to its data infrastructure in Uganda among them being the launch of the MTN Uganda first mobile money service as well as introducing 3G+, expanded the mobile distribution foot print, and enhanced the mobile core, radio capacity and infrastructure technology.