Thuraya Launches Service in Ethiopia with a Grand Roadshow
As part of a steady effort to work
with the under-served telecoms sectors in Africa, Thuraya,
the UAE-based regional satellite operator, is making
major strides in the continent with its latest commercial
launch in Ethiopia. Tying up with a satellite telecom
distributor Afrospace as a service provider, Thuraya's
entry into this highly populous market promises to be
a good example of complementing terrestrial networks
through satellite offerings.
The
main objective of Ethiopian Telecommunication Corporation's
(ETC's) contract agreement with Thuraya is to meet the
cellular telephone service needs of those mushrooming
investors, entrepreneurs, miners and others situated
at places inaccessible to the existing GPRS mobile services.
Such a contact agreement is the second
of its type next to ETC's similar agreement it already
made with another satellite operator to reach a large
number of people in need of the service.
Announcing this new partnership and
launch of commercial service in Ethiopia, the two companies
have held a major roadshow today at the Hilton Hotel
in the capital Addis Ababa, attended by local telecom
sector officials, businessmen, public and private sectors'
representatives, NGOs personnel and the media.
The inauguration program included a
demonstration of Thuraya's products and services to
a selected group of prospective government and private-sector
customers as well as NGOs' representatives. A press
conference was organised later for the media to introduce
the new commercial partnership and the role Thuraya
services can play in supporting the country's vital
economical and social activities.
A dinner gathering was also hosted
at the Hilton Hotel for a large number of government
officials, businessmen and potential customers from
various segments. Thuraya's Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Yousuf Al Sayed, Managing Director of Afrospace
Mr. Gamal El Din Eltayeb, and Chief Executive Officer
of Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation Mr. Tesfaye
Birru, participated in the event and addressed delegates
and invited guests.
Currently connecting the world's largest
base of mobile satellite subscribers, Thuraya will complement
the domestic telecom network by extending its satellite
based service bouquet to all urban outskirts and villages
in Ethiopia.
“Ethiopia is a major country
with a large population and has always constituted a
priority for us in the African region,” said Mr.
Al Sayed.
ETC, African's prominent telecom operator
with the history of engagement in telecommunication
sector for the last 111 years, has so far benefited
over 350,000 mobile subscribers in the country and is
striving to reach more and more in the recent future.
The
partnership with Thuraya for Global Mobile Solution
for satellite communication together with another satellite
operator, will enable ETC to meet a mobile service needs
of a tremendous size of people in Ethiopia through satellite
communication solution. |
27
September 2005 
