July 21 2012: India-based telecom provider, Airtel continues to grow its services on the African continent -- in many cases, helping nations to leapfrog to 3.75 G data services.
On July 19 Airtel announced the introduction of its 3.75G platform in Malawi, upgrading from the current 3G data service.
Speaking during the launch in Blantyre, minister of Information and Civic Education, Moses Kunkuyu noted that issues of internet are no longer a luxury, but rather a necessity.“Internet is proving to be a focal point of any aspect of development in the world hence the need to make it easily accessible through such latest technologies which improve internet speeds even in Malawi”. He commended Airtel for extending 3.75G services even to other districts in Malawi other than just concentrating in the main cities. Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu, Mangochi, Karonga, Kasungu, Salima, Zomba and Kasungu now have 3.75G coverage.The 3.75G network infrastructure is not only the widest and largest in Malawi but is also the best and most affordable in the country.
The same day, July 19, in Antananarivo, Airtel launched its mobile 3.75 platform across Madagascar.There are currently about 400 million mobile subscribers in Africa, according to data from McKinsey & Co, and 2.5 million are with Airtel Madagascar.
On July 4, in Kigali, Airtel announced the introduction of 3.75G platform in Rwanda.
Said Marcellin Paluku, Country Manager, Airtel Rwanda. “Airtel doesn’t see 3G as a product but a platform that enables the community to expand its social and commercial horizons, alongside the rest of the world.”Airtel has teamed up with Ericsson, to ensure seamless upgrade of the existing network to the 3.75G network.The new 3.75G network will initially be available to Airtel customers in Kigali, but will become available to other parts of the country over the course of the month.
In June, Airtel Chad collaborated with one of the leading banks on the continent – ECOBANK- to launch Airtel Money in the West African nation. Touted as the first Mobile commerce product in the country, the service allowed subscribers to carry out financial transactions on their mobile phones and enhance the delivery of financial services at affordable cost. The launch ceremony of the new service was held at in the capital Ndjamena, in the presence of Prime Minister Emmanuel Nadingar, Telecommunicatons Minister Alingue Jean Bawoyeu and members of the diplomatic corps in Chad.
Headquartered in New Delhi, Airtel, owned by Bharti Airtel Limited ,ranks amongst the top 5 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers and operates in in 19 countries across Asia and Africa.. The company provides mobile communications services across 16 markets in Africa: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
http://www.africa.airtel.com
http://www.airtel.com/