Highway Africa News Agency (Grahamstown)
Andualem Gessesse
4 December 2007
Addis Ababa — The Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) is finalizing preparations to launch 3G (Third Generation) mobile services in fifty selected areas to corporate customers and its professionals.
According to Abdurahim Mohammed, the head of ETC's Public Relations Office; the corporation is making final preparations to distribute the service to potential customers.
Abdurahim explained that the service will enable users to make video calls and messaging and enjoy other third generation mobile features such as a wide range of high-speed mobile services, online games, photo messaging, and broadband internet connection.
He added that the pilot programs to be launched are intended to see the service results and assess its acceptance in a shorter period. ETC also announced that the new Nokia Amharic Mobile Phones are supported by its mobile networks.
Abdurahim added, "ETC is not only making investments in areas where it needs but also in areas where it is needed. What has been a major problem in internet service is a lack of national content. Most of Ethiopian users are forced to download what has been put by the rest of the world since more than 90% of users download non-Amharic or non-Ethiopian language contents."
He also added that the five Nokia models with alphabet and Amharic users interface are available in the market and, ETC will support Amharic SMS and other Amharic content dissemination and exchanges through its mobile networks.
On Friday November 30, 2007 Seyoum Bereded, Director of Ethiopian Millennium Celebration National Council Secretariat, Levi Girma, Nokia's East Africa Account Manager, and ETC's Abdurahim Mohammed gave a press conference to mark distribution of the first Amharic mobile phones that were made available to users.
Seyoum Bereded said that the introduction of the Amharic phones will play an important role in preserving the country's national identity and language.
"At this time of Ethiopian third millennium celebrations, we need to show our own identity, language and culture and this introduction of an Amharic phone helps in doing that," Seyoum Commented. Levi Girma announced that the Nokia 1200, 1208, 1650, 2630 and 2760 are available at Glorious PLC and its retailers. He said all the necessary preparations and testing of all ETC networks have been done and have been a success so far.
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