EASTERN PROVINCE

NYAGATARE— Publicel, a local private company is set to introduce mobile money transfer using handset.

The company’s head of the project, Christian Syaka said on Tuesday that the objective is to reduce hurdles of transferring cash from one area to another.

Syaka said that they will be using SMS services from MTN and Toll-free phone line from Rwandatel to accomplish their mission.

"All details regarding the technical operations will be available soon ahead of the official launch of the initiative in December this year,” he promised.

Government policy on the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is to extend more computer driven services to the rural people by 2020.

Some Rwandan towns now have two competing cellular phone and Internet operators licensed to offer the earlier state-run telecommunications services.

However, the problem of Internet breakdown and power supply cuts has been reported to be a major thereat to ICT development. 

For example for the last two weeks, the RITA Telecentre at Nyagatare town has been non-functioning due to Internet breakdown, which the centre officials attributed to a weak MTN service.

Understandably, Nyagatare residents have welcomed the Telecentre services and Publicel proposal, however, the steadiness of the network remains challenge to the panned services.

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