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TTCL plans bandwidth sale to bordering countries
25 July 2012
Operator looking to sell internet bandwidth to neighbours
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TTCL
Tanzania
Burundi
Mozambique
Malawi
State-owned Tanzania
Telecommunications Company (TTCL) is looking to sell internet bandwidth to its
neighbouring countries – Burundi, Mozambique, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia,
reported local media. All Africa said, citing the largest telecoms company in
the country that the plan will seek to take advantage of the flexibility of Tanzania's
National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB).
TTCL, marketing manager,
Nicodemus Mngutu told Business Standard: "Now that the NICTBB has reached
all border points of the country, and that we have already illustrated
capability by getting the $6.7 million contract to supply 1.244 gigabytes of
internet bandwidth to Rwanda for 10 years, we are eyeing more markets of the
inland countries which can take advantage of our complete network. As
land-locked countries, they face significant challenges in getting access to
low cost international connectivity. This purchase of bulk international
capacity on regional and international networks will significantly boost our
vision to make bandwidth available to such markets."
Mngutu told Business
Standard that the bordering countries are relying on Tanzania’s network's guarantee
on availability and reliability of 99.8% as compared to the rest of the region
which is below 70%. Mngutu added that Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Kenya and
Uganda have already interested in the bandwidth supply from TTCL.
NICTBB’s technical
coordinator, Engineer Anita Chingumbe told All Africa that Mozambique is in
discussions with NICTBB with the notion to have the broadband backbone reach its
border.
It was earlier
reported that Mozambique mobile operator Movitel is negotiating with the
operators of Tanzania’s national broadband network about extending their
service to the border to provide backhaul. The NICTBB already runs from the capital, Dar es Salaam, to
Mtwara, close to the border.
Chingumbe said
that border posts where the cable have already reached comprise Manyovu to
serve Burundi; Rusumo border post to serve Rwanda; Mutukula to serve Uganda; Sirali,Namanga
and Horohoro border posts to serve Kenya; Tunduma border point for Zambia and
Kasumulo border post for Malawi. She said that other landlocked countries,
including Zambia, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo and Malawi, may also be
interested in using the NICTBB. GTB