By Staff Reporter WINDHOEK Mobile Telecommunications (MTC) Namibia has signed a five-year exclusive contract with Motorola Limited for the supply of GSM/GPRS and Canopy equipment. With this new equipment, MTC, the country’s sole cellular service provider, will expand its network to reach 95 percent of Namibia’s population and beyond. Albertus Oachamub, MTC’s Senior Manager: Corporate Affairs, said the agreement would enable the cellular company to expand much quicker than before because the funds will now be guaranteed. The equipment to be obtained from Motorola includes base stations, base control stations, transcoders, GPRS and canopy equipment. Under the agreement, MTC has also signed up for Motorola’s software upgrade programme, under which the local cellular company will receive upgrades of Motorola’s GSM/BSS software and GPRS Packet Core software over the next five years. Motorola says that it is pleased to have been awarded the business in a competitive tender process that included many of the other known industry players. The agreement, according to Motorola’s regional sales director, Stefano Mattiello, reinforces his company’s continuing commitment not only to Namibia but also to the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. “We are always pleased to be able to demonstrate in a tangible way that Motorola is strongly positioned to provide wireless networking solutions in Africa, with local presence, expertise and capability. We are extremely excited about MTC’s continued confidence,” said Mattiello. MTC is expanding and rolling out its network to areas that are not penetrated. In 2006, the company will focus on road coverage and ensure that all main roads in Namibia are covered. Some of the roads, which are not covered, include pockets of roads in the north, parts of the Okahandja/Otjiwarongo road and in the south from Oranjemund to the Namibian border with South Africa. “Our extended coverage will also enable us to reach new target markets as we will now reach 95 percent of the population by end 2006 compared to our present coverage of 88 percent. The expansion will also enable MTC to improve the quality on the existing network and reduce congestion,” said MTC’s Managing Director, Bengt Strenge. MTC has over 455 000 active subscribers boasting a coverage of 86 percent of the population with 250 base stations spread across its width and breadth. It has been operational since 1995 and offers GPRS capability including MMS, e-mail, and Internet access amongst a range of pre- and pos- paid solutions. Motorola is a Fortune 100 global communications leader that provides seamless mobility products and solutions across broadband, embed- ded systems and wireless networks.