EASTERN PROVINCE Mobile phone dealers in Nyagatare have started to reap the benefits from the rising demands for mobile phones in rural areas. The phone dealers say the stiff competition that has come with the entry of new mobile phone service provider, Rwandatel, presents an opportunity for them to reap big. Alexius Bwisyura, a phone dealer in Nyagatare town, Wednesday said the entry of new mobile phone service providers will impact positively on their earnings. Bwisyura believes that the current service providers have the capacity to ward off new competitors. “The chance operators have is that the market is virtually saturated now,” he said, adding that it remains to be seen if the competition will translate into more people buying mobile phone handsets.” “On average 10 customers per day come to my shop to either buy phones or airtime for both operators,” he said, “they are interested in the low-cost benefits.” According to Bwisyura, the challenge ahead for the mobile phone dealers is to provide unique services in order to retain their customers. The mobile phone use has touched every aspect of human life, whether the focus is business or communication; Bwisyura notes, the competition will remain stiff. Other residents have begun to reap big by providing battery charging and repair services. Joseph Ntwali, a phone technician in Nyagatare town considers this kind of business helpful. Ntwali says that mobile phones are today providing a direct line of communication to all categories of people including farmers, doctors and teachers. According to Ntwali, the only problem is that many of the phones circulating especially in rural areas are quite old. There may be better and smarter technologies around the corner, but for rural phone technicians to help people today remains a huge challenge. Ntwali, observed that mobile phones present the best opportunity to bridge the digital divide. Ends
