Developmental use of 4G LTE

Beyond the use of LTE for individual and small-scale use, LTE can support developmental initiatives that depend on heavy use of Data exchange. I will take just two developmental cases; in the health and educational fields. Examples will be e-School for instance to support distance learning or e-Health in support of digital health delivery. Through LTE, good quality world class tuition could be accessed via a virtual campus platform from any part of the world. Doctor-patient relationship will not be limited to physical consultation as the most reliable means. Scarce specialist medical services can be accessed remotely when real time and near-life video conversations are made possible by technologies like LTE. This can potentially bring down the cost of Health access and make the services of scarce specialists and consultants available for many more people. As LTE gains traction its potential will be realized across sectors of the economy. What does 4G hold for Rwanda? Another area with phenomenal prospect for 4G LTE is e-Government and the remote delivery of essential public services like health, education and business. Any service or product that requires the use of reliable, steady high speed internet with large volume content delivery can count on 4G. At the individual level, heavy data content usage like video streaming or mobile TV will find a friend in 4G. According to Ericsson’s Mobility report for June 2014, Mobile Data will grow by more than 10 fold in Africa by 2019. They project that over 50% of that growth in Mobile Data (Internet) will be contributed by video. A lot depends on high-speed technologies like 3G, 4G, fiber optics etc. to make it happen. The deployment of 4G technology and the subsequent evolvement of the current model means Rwanda will be ready for mega ICT take-off in the future as well. In putting this series together, I run the risk of over-simplifying an otherwise more technical subject. For the benefit of many users and potential users who are not very technical and are only interested in the experience they can derive from 4G, let the more technical readers pardon me. I am not technical myself but my interest is to try and breakdown the subject of 4G LTE from a commercial perspective and for the benefit of many users. To conclude, this article seeks to break any myth around 4G LTE, to provide you with information in order to make informed decisions. 4G LTE is all about speed in using internet or broadband that target heavy data-hungry application users. To use it, first check if there is coverage in your area and then get a 4G device from an MTN Service Centre. They can also assist to set up your terminal and provide the needed information to ensure a hustle-free use of your 4G device. For more details on device price and available data plans, one can visit the MTN Rwanda website or pick an Information leaflet from any Service Centre. There are daily, weekly and monthly plans for different volumes of Data depending on your need. All the available and popular network technologies are now available in Rwanda for you to choose from to aid a Smart lifestyle and living. Yes you are now ready to join the 4G bandwagon, please go ahead and try it! The writer is the CEO of MTN Rwanda

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Developmental use of 4G LTE