Rwanda is among a few countries in Africa set to roll-out a high-speed Fourth Generation (4G) broadband network that delivers download speed of up to 100 Megabytes per second.
The broadband speed is almost three times faster than those previously available in the country like 3G and 2G and there is no doubt that 4G networks, still not everywhere in many developed nations, will
boost Rwanda’s internet services.
Recently South Korea’s largest telecom company, Korea Telecom, entered into an agreement with Rwanda to deploy 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) broadband network across the country, a development that will ensure fast, reliable and cheaper internet services.
The high speed wireless broadband technology builds on more than 3,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable that is rolled out across the country.
The optic cable that was laid in 2010 seeks to boost access to various broadband services, including applications such as e-governance, e-banking, e-learning and e-health, to become a key enabler of the set
target to ensure Rwanda achieves middle-income status by 2017. The joint venture between Rwanda and Korea Telecom includes a cooperation framework agreement that will see the development of
broadband infrastructure within the next 25 years.
Leapfrogging tradition:
The 4G rollout in Rwanda is part of the country’s trend of leapfrogging traditional fixed broadband by adopting current-generation mobile technology that will be accessed by every Rwandan citizen.
According Claude K. Migisha, the General Manager of kLab, higher broadband penetration drives economic growth and helps the nation achieve social goals, such as improved education and health care
outcomes for stance in countries like South Korea and Singapore.
kLab, an open technology hub for IT entrepreneurs located at Telecom House in Kacyiru, provides a platform for developers, IT enthusiasts and interested parties of a growing ICT community to collaborate and innovate.
Migisha added: “With more than 90 per cent of Rwandans accessing 4G LTE broadband, the service industry in Rwanda will significantly grow.”
Source: The NewTimes
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