Mobile telephones network to be tested in southern Sudan

April 20, 2006 (JUBA) — Mobile telecommunication services may finally be up and running in southern Sudan as the Ministry of Telecommunications says they achieved signal launching last week and are now testing the coverage and stability of the network.

“We started internally testing for signal and sound in Juba, Yei and other towns in the south these three days,” says acting undersecretary Elijah Biar Kuol. “Today the ministry plans to test for international signals, for two more days and then we will declare it ready for us”, he added.

According to Biar, 10,000 SIM cards for mobiles are ready in Juba to use the new telecommunications line. Once there is stability in the network they plan to announce it publicly. Prices for the SIM cards is still undetermined although he claims it will be cheaper than that previously offered through the previous provider, Mobitel.

In urban areas the ministry plans to allow private companies run the telephone services while in rural areas it will be the responsibility of the ministry. “It’s our policy that communication have to be privatized […] we only lay the infrastructures for the private sectors so that when they come, there is already infrastructure on the ground. We will be only monitoring the services so that there is rights of consumers (citizens) and investors are protected.”

Northern Bahr al-Ghazal, Warap, Eastern Equatoria, and Jonglei states are the priority areas since they have the least infrastructure and means for communication. The World Bank is helping to fund V-Sat connections to link the ten states with the Government of Southern Sudan.

(Juba Post)