TANZANIA to enjoy universal cell phone network......

Deputy minister for Communication, Science and Technology, Mr January Makamba

Dodoma. The government yesterday said it was in the process of devising a plan to connect the entire country to mobile phone networks by October, next year.

The deputy minister for Communication, Science and Technology, Mr January Makamba, however, cautioned that lack of infrastructure like roads and electricity as well as a shortage of funds was slowing down the pace of implementing the plan.

He was responding to a main question by Mr Dismas Bwanausi (Lulindi – CCM) on whether mobile phone towers would be constructed in the six wards of his constituency.

Mr Bwanausi also wanted to know if the government was planning to connect areas in border areas to mobile phones. The deputy minister said the government was devising a plan to connect all border townships to mobile phone networks, including wards in his constituency.

He promised that all six wards in Lulindi would be connected with Tigo mobile phone network by February, next year.

“Mkundi, Sindano, Mchauru, Mnavira and Chokolopola would be incorporated in the second phase whose tender would be announced during the 2014/15 fiscal year,” he said. Mr Makamba said areas situated along Lake Nyasa and Mozambique had been incorporated in an ambitious plan to connect them.

“Contractors for constructing mobile phone towers for some of these areas have already been identified,” he said. Mr Jumanne Zedi (Bukene – CCM) said in his follow-up question that mobile phone providers were not interested in extending their services to rural areas because they did not attract business.

He wanted to know if the government had any plan of using a universal communication fund to ensure the country is covered by 100 per cent.

“What Mr Zedi has proposed is exactly what the ministry is doing,” Mr Makamba said. ends