Prosperous TTCL coming

DAILY NEWS Reporter

TTCL Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Waziri Kindamba

• Aims at reigning in East and Central Africa’s telecom sector

CHINESE government will provide Tanzania Telecommunication Company Limited (TTCL) with a 600bn/- loan to enable the telecom firm expand widely to rural areas.

Through the multibillion credit facility, TTCL is expected to enhance its technological capacity and coverage, reigning in the East and Central Africa’s communication industry.

President of China’s state owned Datang Telecom International Technology Company Yuan Yong said his firm, in collaboration with TTCL, were also planning to construct state-ofthe- art industry to manufacture telecommunication equipment in the country.

Speaking shortly after his meeting with Vice- President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the State House in Dar es Salaam, Mr Yong assured of TTCL becoming the leading telecom firm in the provision of communication services in East and Central Africa through modern technologies.

He said the good relations between China and Tanzania, dating back to the 1960s, had contributed to the company’s decision to invest in Tanzania’s communication sector.

He further explained that through the investment, Tanzanians would be assured of improved and uninterrupted communication services in urban and rural areas.

Ms Samia appreciated the Chinese company, stressing that the government is ready for the massive investment in the communication sector for the benefits of people in the two friendly countries.

“I believe that once the massive investment is completed, TTCL deliver high quality communication services using modern technologies to the general public,” she explained, reiterating the government’s commitment to industrialise the national economy, with the views of boosting government revenues and creating jobs for Tanzanians.

She commended the Chinese firm for its training to TTCL employees, as well as construction of a communication research centre in the country to improve TTCL efficiency.

Early this year, TTCL announced that it was looking for 300 million US dollars (over 600bn/-) to roll out its communication strategy countrywide by December, this year.

TTCL acting Chief Executive Officer Waziri Kindamba told this newspaper that the amount would be needed to implement phase one of the firm’s strategy that will see all regions covered by stable communication services, including the newly launched 4G LTE.

Mr Kindamba said there was a possibility of securing the funds following the government’s approval of the company’s proposal to use its resources to seek loans from financing institutions.

He said already Tanzania Investment Bank (TIB) and other banks had shown interest in the deal whose success will result into massive expansion of TTCL’s infrastructure, which had remained dormant for at least 15 years.