TTCL lined up to manage 170bn/- local govt ICT backbone

TANZANIA government has said that an Information and Communications Technology backbone which will connect all regional and district authorities will be managed by the Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL). Speaking in Dar es Salaam recently, Communications, Science and Technology minister Prof Peter Msolla said the government had already allocated Tshs.17bn/- in the next financial year for a feasibility study and compensation for people who will have their property destroyed to pave way for the project. The project would ensure that all rural and satellite areas were connected to the cable and this will allow e-government in all central government and local government offices. Prof. Msolla said in the first phase of the project, the government needed about 70bn/- for the project and 100bn/- in the second phase, which will be in form of loans and grants. Once the ICT backbone was in place, it would bridge all the gaps in communications and this would allow many people in the country to access ICT advantages. According to the Minister, poor infrastructure had been identified as a major challenge in accessing ICT and that the ICT backbone would overcome all the challenges.
The minister noted that Tanzania continued to use microwave ICT national backbone whose capacity was below users. The government has continued with formalities of constructing an optic fibre ICT national backbone whose cost of construction and accessibility are affordable, and once in place it will enhance connectivity to all Tanzania Mainland district headquarters. On the other side, the TTCL Chief Executive Officer, Mr. William Beckman said if the ICT infrastructure was adequately addressed it alone would provide wide opportunities in the communications sector. The company had 150,000 customers currently and that the number was projected to increase to 400,000 in the next two years or so. Beckman said his company was in the process of securing a Tshs. 250bn/- loan (US$ 115m) from a local bank which would help to keep the company improve its infrastructure and its operations in the country.