The partnership with networking giant Cisco means that Rwandatel can significantly expand its range of services, which until now included fixed and mobile telephony, internet provision and data communications.

"With this partnership we will be able to offer a comprehensive solution to our clients and also give us access to Cisco's full suite of unified communications and other enterprise products," said Patrick Kariningufu, the CEO of Rwandatel. "This will allow us to offer improved telephony services, internet, maintenance as well wireless access network."

According to Kariningufu, the partnership will make it possible for Rwandatel to purchase Cisco equipment directly, without passing through a third party, thus significantly reducing the cost to the end users, adding however that this is a long-term plan that will take time to be in place.

The partnership will further see Rwandatel's core equipment on the data side such as the company's main servers improved. Moreover, the enterprise will carry out market research to establish solution needs of its corporate clients and see how the improved infrastructure can best be used to meet them.

Cisco already has extensive experience in Rwanda, according to Shabab Meshki, the company's general manager for East Africa. For instance, it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government to position Rwanda as the IT hub within the region and is also involved in setting up of a network for institutes of higher learning.

Meshki pointed out that the new partnership will allow Cisco to contribute even more through improved service delivery. He highlighted internet connectivity as well as voice, video and data as some of the areas that will be significantly improved, which in turn will have a positive impact on corporate clients' efficiency. For instance, a solution such as teleconferencing makes it much more easy to organize meetings with people in different locations.

Furthermore, Cisco will be able to provide security, bandwidth optimization, a data center as well as better internet services to customers.

Cisco is a worldwide networking enterprise with a turnover of more than US$ 40 billion. It currently has 10 offices on the African continent, with Kenya acting as the East African hub.

The third stakeholder in the partnership is Seven Seas Technology, which will be responsible for managing the IT infrastructure. According to Rob Van Hoek, business director of the Africa division, Seven Seas Technology will help integrate Cisco solutions in the country.

"Cisco sells equipments and IT solutions but does not provide the manpower to install, maintain and offer ideas about these solutions; that is where we come in," Van Hoek said.

Since its establishment in Rwanda in 2000, the company has employed about 100 engineers who will ensure that Cisco solutions are integrated, customized and implemented for the benefit of the business community.

SevenSeas technologies also provides knowledge transfer on how to use Cisco's solutions through training of local networking staff as well as young engineers straight from the university, and by providing employment opportunities.