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afrol News, 29 January - The Mozambique national telecom enterprise (TDM) is to invest about US$ 200 millions in the modernisation of the structure of telephone network, both permanent and mobile, over the next three years. The decision was made public on Wednesday 25 April by the President of TDM, Rui Fernandes, during the opening of the 9th Forum of the Association of Operators of Mail and Telecommunication of Countries and Territories of Portuguese Language (AICEP). Rui Fernandes confirmed at the company will invest principally on infrastructure network, increasing the access on the provincial and international level, especially when it comes to increase the rural telecom coverage and to do a connect to the digital network in the Southern Africa region. In Maputo, the national capital, the public telecom enterprise is already implementing the installation of a network of fibre optic cables. The TDM President also said that infrastructure investments after 2003 will be some 10-20 percent lower in order to be able to finance other activities and projects that are under way or planned. Rui Fernandes explained at the projects in process are destined to do enhance the quality of sound, texts and images that are transmitted, and are permitting a significantly quicker access to the Internet and the appearance of a new, private cellphone operator, after a tender process planned for the course of the year. According to the TDM's President, the rhythm of the investment would be balanced over the next years because the technologies and infrastructures are fundamental for the effective integration within the digital society and the information systems. Also the Mozambican Minister of Transports and Telecommunications, Tomas Salomão, affirmed the telecom liberalisation policy, stating that the telecom sector could not miss out on the technical advances and must be obligated to perform on an accelerated velocity. Although conectivity still is limited, there are now ten Internet Service Providers (IPS) operating in Mozambique. The number of Inertnet users country-wide has more than doubled from 5,500 to more than 12,000 during the last two years. Until now a staggering 75% of the users were however located in Maputo and surrounding communities and the remaining 25% at the provincial level. Source: RTP and afrol archives
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