37.3bn/- set to expand national ICT backbone

NELLY MTEMA in Dodoma

TANZANIA Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL) has signed a 37.3bn/- contract with Huawei Tanzania for the expansion of the...

National ICT broadband backbone to 23-districts in the country.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister for Information, Communion and Information Technology, Mr Nape Nnauye said the expansion of the 1, 520-kilometres national broadband backbone is going to bring massive transformation in the areas, some of which have no communication at all.

Under the contract, the 23-districts must be availed with the ICT-broadband backbone and the task should be completed within six months, commencing yesterday.

The signing comes into effect days after President Samia Suluhu Hassan has given TTCL a new mandate to transform itself into a successful broadband provider.

Minister Nape insisted on the timely completion of the project, while striving for quality and standards for the laid down of the communication infrastructure.

He said the districts are in the regions of Shinyanga, Tanga, Kagera, Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Coast, Lindi, Mtwara, Ruvuma, Njombe and Mbeya.

“The signing today is in line with implementation of the ruling party’s CCM 2020-25 election manifesto, which calls for connectivity to the national broadband backbone to increase fast internet access in all regions, districts and neighbouring countries to foster economic development.

The minister said they are working around the clock to ensure that the broadband backbone service is available in all regions and districts to fasten communications as well as be a platform for the public institutions to serve the communities better for improved performance.

Completion of the project, the government intends to attain major transformation in national economic development plans.

Mr Nape mentioned some of the expected production from the expansion is increased revenue collections through the use of digital systems, economic empowerment by the use of data in tradition and efficiency of service delivery.

The investment is worth it, said Mr Nape, taking into account the government industrial economy drive and Digital Tanzania project that will increase access to broadband users thus increased revenue generation.

The minister said TTCL performance is promising as they have submitted a request to the Treasury Registrar scrape off 1.8bn/- bad debt from the billing and accounting system.

Speaking earlier, TTCL Board Chairperson, Zuhura Muro said they will ensure that the projects meet all the required standards and conditions including timely submission taking into account patriotism, professionalism and accountability.

“We know that we have been trusted with making Tanzania Digital dream a reality, we will not let you down,” assured Ms Muro.

For his part, HUAWEI Tanzania Managing Director, Mr Damon Zhang promised quality and standard of the expansion of the National-ICT Broadband Backbone project.

According to the Third National Five-Year Development Plan (FYDP-III) 2021/22 – 2025/26 themed “Realising Competitiveness and Industrialisation for Human Development” ICT infrastructure is an essential for smooth and cost-effective operation of business and facilitation of social services.

The plan places much emphasis in having reliable and easily accessible ICT infrastructure to accelerate digital revolution enhanced by digital technologies.

Digital technologies are now present in multiple sectors of the economy and social life, from telecommunications and finance, to governance, marketing and service delivery. The plan demands that the sector has to speed up deployment of ICT infrastructure to make digital revolution possible.

Key interventions include expand or extend the National Telecommunication Broadband infrastructure and services in collaboration with service providers and other private sector stakeholders and development of Physical Address system in all wards.

In March last year, TTCL and Huawei Technology Company also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was meant to enable the parties to cooperate in the deployment of Fibber To The Home Solution (FTTH), Fixed Wireless Network (4G), and countryside deployment and expansion of Mobile Network and Fixed Network.

The Signing Ceremony took place in the UAE on the occasion of the Tanzania day at the Dubai Expo 2020 and was accompanied by several meetings and business seminars with companies investing in Tanzania where the President Samia Suluhu Hassan, was the guest of honour.