Sierratel, Sierra Leone's government-owned telecommunication company, received a delivery of US$16.6 million worth of wireless telecommunication equipment from China's Huawei Technologies over the weekend. Funding was provided by a loan from the Chinese government.

According to Julius Kamara, Sierratel's acting director of commercial service, the delivery contained a "wireless switch, microwave backbone, base stations and supporting equipment for nationwide operation" of a wireless network.

He explained that the wireless project will complement Sierratel's existing fixed-line telephone service, particularly in areas where fixed network coverage is unavailable.

"The Sierratel Wireless Project would kick-start targeting 100,000 subscribers, but there is the possibility of expanding it to cover about a million users later," Kamara said. "We can't sit down and allow our network to be congested."

He said it is important to note that the wireless service will enable subscribers to access the Internet from anywhere. Implementation of wireless service will begin in the West, followed by the urban centers within the provinces, such as district headquarters and mining areas like Kono, Pepel, Massama and Rutile.

"All [wireless service] will be at landline prices," Kamara announced. "We'll ensure that our prices are lower than other available networks in the country. Though we appreciate that other networks are here and have been doing well, we have to work on that, so as to beat them in pricing."

Sierratel's wireless network is slated to be fully operational by September, but Kamara said it could be ready by the end of July.

Source:NetworkWorld.com