n Staff Reporter
WINDHOEK – The settlement of Engombe in the Uuvudhiya Constituency of the Oshana Region has been successfully connected to MTC’s network grid through the 081Every1 network and infrastructure program. The 081Every1 is part of a strategy to increase MTC’s customer base, especially in rural areas, which will see an increased number of customers access fast internet through their devices.
Primarily, the main objectives of 081Every1, is to ensure that the gap between, urban and rural areas is significantly lessened to ensure that rural parts of the country should enjoy the same network functionalities and benefits as those found in urban settings.
Launched in August 2017, the 081Every1 project is a two-year network infrastructure project spearheaded by MTC and supported by government through the policy implementation and execution plans of the Harambee Prosperity Plan. The objective is by 2019, to have erected over 524 new network sites and to cover 100 per cent of the Namibian population.
Quoting Minister of Information and Communication Technology Stanley Simataa, Tim Ekandjo the Chief Human Capital and Corporate Affairs Officer at MTC said “In today’s era where telecommunications network connectivity is a necessity, network coverage has become one of the crucial wheels that drive the social and economic development for the people. It is now 28-years post-independence and access to quality network connectivity should no longer be a privilege enjoyed by a small fraction of the population, but an essential service, which all citizens of the republic, both in rural or urban settings should have access to.”
“Customers insights reveal that access to reliable network has become increasingly critical, and this for us presents a huge opportunity. Our plan is to ensure that every customer in this beautiful land has connectivity and access it affordably and at zero installation cost,” Ekandjo added.
Ekandjo noted that Namibians are embracing an increasingly digital enabled lifestyle driven by growing smartphone uptake, advanced 3G and 4G networks, and smart, connected homes. Thus, he said, MTC’s investment in this project will go a long way in meeting these emerging customer needs within a fast evolving technology landscape.