By Surihe Gaomas WINDHOEK Namibia took another giant leap in the world of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) when it became the first country in Africa to enter the wireless communication network. This was announced yesterday by MWEB Namibia when it launched its fast and efficient Wireless Broadband in Namibia at a game ranch reception outside Windhoek. The move will enable Namibia to become part of the global telecommunications revolution, thereby further opening other doors in the sectors of education, tourism and other socio-economic areas of development. Gone are the days when subscribers had to worry about the huge telephone costs of connecting to Internet, or maintenance costs. They simply have this valuable service on a monthly subscription basis. Officially launching MWEB’s Wireless Broadband, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah commended the company for introducing the latest technology in the country at a time when ICT is nowadays fast becoming a vital communications tool in all sectors of society. “Communication is key in all sectors, be it in government, financial institutions, industry, tourism or even at household levels. People are becoming impatient and want to get information at the blink of an eye,” said Nandi-Ndaitwah. The product will help speed up access of information on the Internet. As part of MWEB’s roll-out strategy, the first phase of the wireless broadband will be in Windhoek, while the coastal towns of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay are destined to benefit during the second phase and it will eventually be rolled out to other towns. Advance in technology is increasingly making the work of regulations of the ICT sector difficult. Consequently, Minister Nandi-Ndaitwah challenged MWEB and other role-players in this sector to make such quality internet services also available to the majority of rural dwellers and not just in the urban areas of the country. Today, half of the country’s population live in rural areas where more learners get their education in rural schools. “I would like to see every role-player in the Namibian telecommunications industry and communications platforms such as MWEB’s Wireless Broadband technology, join forces in an attempt to answer the question of rural areas with a resounding YES!” She added: “If we don’t pool our resources to bring broadband and its economic, educational and communications advantages to Namibia’s neglected areas, we will have missed a golden opportunity to bring this remarkable technology to bear on areas desperately in need of its spectacular impact on development,” stressed Nandi-Ndaitwah. This is a step in the right direction in view of the fact that internet literacy is increasingly regarded as a life skill, as governments the world over seek to promote it in schools and universities. For Namibia, ICT is an ideal route to accomplishing its developmental goal of Vision 2030. Member of the Board of Directors of the Namibian Communications Commission, Kombadayedu Kapwanga, who spoke on behalf of David Iimbili, the NCC chairperson, said the Internet has established itself as an invaluable resource and serves as the backbone to ICT. “The invention of wireless broadband…liberates the user from a fixed point through which his or her computer has to connect to IP Service provider’s portal, provided he or she is within range of the service provider’s radio transmitters,” said Kapwanga, adding that it is all about communicating in real time and on a face-to-face basis. As a regulatory body, the NCC is tasked with the facilitating function of making sure that all relevant, legal and regulatory telecommunications requirements are observed. He commended MWEB for applying for the licence in a transparent and appropriate manner. Instead of having prospective users of MWEB’s Wireless Broadband services having to spend up to N$5ÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ 000 upfront for the hardware required for connectivity, the company has subsidized the cost of the hardware and are giving it to clients at a fixed monthly subscription. There are two types of broadband – a shared one for homeowners that amounts to N$492 a month, and the business units with a much higher amount and quality service.