The Namibian

Telecom Namibia, the new owner of Leo, plans to invest more than N$400 million in an infrastructure network as part of its strategy to compete "heads-on" with MTC and secure between 35% and 40% of the local mobile telecommunications market.

The company awarded a US$46-million contract to China's ZTE Corporation, a leading telecommunications equipment and network solutions provider globally, Telecom Namibia managing director and Leo chairman Frans Ndoroma said last week.

NAMIBIAN mobile operator MTC intends to have a 45 percent rollout of its 4G mobile network by the end of 2013, says its CEO, Miguel Geraldes.

Geraldes said the rollout might be before the deadline the company has set itself.
MTC has a 'neutral licence', which means that it can converge its mobile technology with fixed-line services, and plans to extend its fibre-optic network to businesses first, and at a later stage to households.

The last major hurdle for Telecom Namibia to acquire the controlling shares in the country’s second mobile operator leo has been passed.

The Namibian Competition Commission on Friday approved the proposed merger between Telecom Namibia and Powercom which trades as leo – but the commission has placed a set of conditions in its approval.

The owners of Powercom and Leo last week turned to the High Court in a bid to save its merger with Telecom Namibia and stop the country's second mobile operator from being liquidated by month-end.

Powercom, owner of Leo, currently suffers losses of between N$2 million and N$5 million every month.

Africa Online, formerly MWeb Namibia, is rolling out WiFi hotspots in Windhoek, with more centres to follow. Marc Gregan, General Manager of AfricaOnline, said the massive increase in users of mobile devices and laptops led to the decision to expand the product.

"AfricaOnline WiFi hotspots are used in lodges and hotels across Namibia. We received requests to introduce the product to various centres in Namibia and we begun the roll-out to the general public, using the same voucher system that is used in tourism," Gregan said.

Telecom Namibia has over the past seven years lost more than N$100 million (US$12.4 m) through their investment in Mundo Startel (MST) in Angola, of which it holds 44 per cent shares.

The company has now decided to exit the joint venture, which has been described by those close to the deal as a “difficult” partnership. An urgent meeting between the two companies is expected to take place to finalise Telecom’s exit in this joint venture which is no longer viable.

The Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) has launched an online marketing campaign called 'Conservation Destination' to showcase remarkable conservation stories about Namibia, and inspire locals to make contributions.

NTB spokesperson Maggy Mbako said in a media statement issued on Tuesday that the campaign will run until June 1 this year.

The 'Conservation Destination' campaign was launched last Sunday to coincide with World Earth Day.

Mobile operator Leo will be granted its service licence in the coming days after it was cleared as having met all regulatory requirements. Leo could not get a licence because it was entirely foreign owned, which is contrary to the Communications Act provision that all telecommunications operators in the country should be majority Namibian owned.

This provision prevented the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) to issue a licence to Leo.

The Ministry of Health recently advertised a tender for the supply of computer equipment for hospitals in Oshakati, Rundu, Keetmanshoop and Windhoek as part of the implementation of the E-Health system.

According to information in the Tender Bulletin, the value of the submissions ranges between N$4,2 million and N$10,1 million.

Health Ministry Permanent Secretary (PS) Kahijoro Kahuure has confirmed that the equipment is intended for the implementation and use of the ministry's Integrated Health Care Information Management System (IHCIMS), also known as the E-Health System.