Aron Mushaukwa
Katima Mulilo
Early this week, Telecom Namibia officially launched its 3G network in Zambezi Region’s rural areas of Chinchimane, Bukalo and Impalila.
Speaking during the two-day launch, the Managing Director of Telecom Namibia, Theo Klein, said the telecommunications company was committed to ensuring it extended its services to various areas within the country, particularly rural areas.
“We want to ensure no one is left behind, and that is why we have decided to bring 3G services to rural areas. If the need arises we will extend these services with a 4G network and further,” Klein underlined.
Officiating at the two-day launch on Monday and Tuesday, Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology Stanley Simataa applauded Telecom for a job well done.
He pointed out that one of the reasons for rural-urban migration was the lack of facilities such as Internet connectivity.
“In order to curb the migration of the population to urban areas we need to develop rural areas, and what is happening today shows that we are committed to ensuring that the country is 100 percent covered by ICT,” Simataa said.
He noted that in today’s world, ICT plays a very crucial role in everyday activities and without it the world would not be same.
“ICT is like the oxygen we breathe; without it we cannot survive and no country can progress without ICT. We need to take Namibia to the destination we have set for ourself,” he added.
During the launch Telecom also donated clothing items to the communities of Chinchimane, Bukalo and Impalila with a combined value of N$300 000.