The Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) is set to boost the number of mobile phone subscribers to 15 million in two years period, from 2.2 million now, using 1.5 billion USD from China's ZTE.

Reuters reported that ZTE, China's second-largest telecoms gear maker, agreed in July to build a national network in the Horn of Africa country. It is building a 5.2 million USD plant in northern Ethiopia to make handsets, and industry sources. It will also set up a CDMA network with the capscity of providing service to 2.4 million Ethiopian subscribers.

Abdurahim Ahmed, head of communications for ETC, said the company also planned to increase the country's number of fixed telephone lines to 4.4 million by 2010 from 1.1 million now.

Chinese telecoms gear makers such as ZTE have made strides in recent years into more mature markets, and have long been established in emerging areas such as India and Africa.

Source:waltainfo