Alcatel clinches broadband deal in Zimbabwe

Alcatel clinches broadband deal in Zimbabwe

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By Agencies

ALCATEL announced Thursday that it has signed an agreement to provide Zimbabwe Broadlands Networks Ltd, a new private telecom operator in Zimbabwe, with an LMDS (Local Multipoint Distribution System) wireless broadband data network. The contract was won through Alcatel Shanghai Bell, Alcatel's flagship Chinese company.

The Alcatel LMDS network is the first of its kind to be deployed in the country and will connect the capital city of Harare with the country's second largest city, Bulawayo. Once the network is in place, it will enable Zimbabwe Broadlands Networks to provide companies located in those two cities with value-added services such as voice over IP, videoconferencing, LAN connection and Internet access

Scheduled for deployment in June 2004, the Alcatel broadband wireless solution represents an important step forward in Zimbabwe's "Telecom Digitization Project", a government program designed to establish a solid foundation for future economic development.

"Alcatel is well known in the industry for its leading telecommunications solutions," noted Chemist Siziba, Chairman of Zimbabwe Broadlands Networks Ltd. "I believe their expertise will help us create a reliable and efficient wireless broadband data network that will meet end-user demands."

"We are honored to have been selected to deploy the first wireless broadband data network in Zimbabwe," said Chen Lixin, Executive Vice President of Alcatel Shanghai Bell. "Our extensive product portfolio combined with expertise for implementing complex networks will assist Zimbabwe Broadlands Networks to offer an array of new data services to their enterprise customers", he added.
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