Japan’s NEC Inks $1.6 million Deal to Improve Network Capacity in Tanzania

Japan multinational information technology firm NEC Corporation has secured a $1.6 million deal to upgrade the Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL)’s microwave links in six key rural and Island areas of the country.  The move, which is in line with the Tanzania’s vision 2025 program, to use the latest communication gadgets as a tool for sustainable development, will see TTCL double its mobile network capacity to meet the needs of local citizens, enterprise and tourists.

Mobile technology plays a big role in Tanzania economy with 10 percent of the country’s GDP transacted through mobile commerce.  As of December, 2013, the East African nation has a high mobile penetration rate of 75 percent.  According to NEC Africa Managing Director, Eugene Le Roux, the technological upgrade will enable Tanzanians experience improved access as the mobile network’s capacity to handle even more web browsing and m-commerce transactions will be enhanced.

Tanzania has inaugurated a route from Dar es Salaam to the island resort of Zanzibar for connections.  Further routes will link Shinyanga to Maswa in the northern part of the country while Mikumi will soon be linked to Kidatu in southern Tanzania, a press statement issued by NEC stated.

TTCL, which is majority owned by the Tanzanian government, uses the NEC’s iPASOLINK 400, 1000 and 5000iPS solutions which supports a hybrid TDM and IP-based mobile backhaul service.  The TDM enables it to leverage on voice traffic and high capacity Ethernet OAM (Operations, Administration, and Maintenance) for data with the option of transitioning to an all-IP network to enable highly efficient long haul transmissions in the future.

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