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Rwanda steps up internet game

Rwanda’s digitised economy received a significant boost when the country launched 4th generation long-term evolution (4G LTE) internet which provides accelerated internet speeds, a crucial element of a growing economy

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“The long wait is over,” Patrick Nyirishema, the Director General of Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (Rura), announced, receiving applause from a full house that waited for the much-anticipated moment, reported Rwanda’s New Times.

The technology offers the fastest wireless communication available for mobile phones and modems.

“We waited for several months for the 4G LTE services to come live… and even for the launch itself, we had to wait a little bit, but it is here now. Over the last several years Rwanda has made significant strides in ICT development and this realisation today is very important in driving Rwanda’s ambitious transformational agenda.”

The announcement made at the Kigali Serena Hotel was welcomed by mobile telephony networks who revealed retail pricing for their 4G services. In attendance was the Minister for Youth and ICT, Jean-Philbert Nsengimana, alongside Nyirishema, Peter Jeon, CEO of Olleh Rwanda Network, and the Korean ambassador to Rwanda, Hwang Soon-Taik.

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Pricing at MTN Rwanda will start at Rwf345,000 (US$500) for 100GB. Other networks are to announce their prices soon.

Even though the services are currently only available in Kigali, officials said that they would expand to the rest of the country within the next three years.

 

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