Third telecom operator to boost healthy competition in emerging industry

Zain promises free roaming services, Millicom ready to offer cheapest per second rates The competition in the telecommunication industry is set to intensify with some bidders for the third mobile operators’ license promising more affordable and flexible services. Millicom one of the four candidates has said it is set to offer the cheapest per second billing rates in the Rwandan market, should government favour its bid. Jacques Vandivinit, the company’s Executive Assistant to the CEO told Bussiness Times that the company has some information about the Rwandan market and will offer best rates. On October 1, Millicaom announced 100 per cent acquisition of Amnet Telecommunications Holding at $100 m following the initial announcement on July 22. Amnet is the leading provider of broadband and cable television services in Costa Rica, Honduras and Salvador. Amnet also provides fixed telephony and data services. In August this year Millicom said it will rollout 3G, third generation cellular mobile services, across Latin America by the end of this year. Vandivinit said that his company is set to launch the same services in Rwanda with the objective of providing high speed mobile broadband and internet access for mobile customers. On the other hand, Zain Telecommunication Company, which has been previously known as Celtel is another contender that said it will connect its Rwandan customers to its One Network borderless network. . Zain’s ‘‘One’ network is a borderless mobile service that offers over 45 million Zain customers in 16 countries favourable rates and roaming free charges for cross-border communications. Andrew Arowojolu, Business Development Director Zain Group in Kuwait said that Zain customers in Rwanda would top up using zain airtime in countries where the company has established GSM services, without changing a SIM card. Recently the product won Zain a Global Telecoms Business Wireless network infrastructure innovation award. The product is said to be cost effective since customers are allowed to freely make call across continents without roaming call surcharges and without having to pay to receive incoming calls. With the use of mobile devices for applications currently expanding in Rwanda the third license will be awarded to a Global System for Mobile (GSM) a digital mobile telephone system operator who will offer both data and voice wireless networks. Until August 2008 when Rwandatel launched the product GSM was offered by MTN alone. Besides offering GSM which is considered a 2G mobile phone system, all the four bidding companies including Larrycom for investment and Globe LTD have promised to offer 3G cellular data transmission technology. Ends