New mobile operator launched in South Sudan
By John Agou Wuoi
February 14, 2009 (JUBA) — A Lebanon-based Fattouch Investment Group has officially launched a new GSM mobile network in southern Sudan called Vivacell.
Speaking at a function to officially launch the network in Southern Sudan on Saturday in Juba, the Chairman of Vivacell mobile network, Pierre Fattouch said the new network will usher in a new era of telecommunications in Southern Sudan.
“Vivacell will augur a new era in Southern Sudan through the provision of the best services at the best rates and through the implementation of the state of the art network”, he said.
Fattouch said the new network can be accessed in Juba, Torit, Bor and yei, adding that the company is already working on an expansion program that will ensure the network covers the whole of Southern Sudan. “Vivacell coverage will expand to cover all the populated areas of Southern Sudan and should expand to cover all Sudanese territory like all other operators in Sudan to ensure fair competition”, he added. Vivacell current network capacity can host up to 1 million subscribers.
He said the mobile network will create more than 5 thousand job opportunities as well as providing extensive training programs for Southern Sudanese in order to strengthen human resources development in the region. “Vivacell will contribute effectively to the development of the local human resources through training and transfer of knowledge and expertise. We will build a Sudanese company based on Sudanese manpower and expertise providing to Sudanese customers the services they are looking for”, he emphasized.
The Acting Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services in the Government of Southern Sudan, Gabriel Changson who officially launched Vivacell network said the launch of Vivacell network is demonstrates government’s commitment to promote foreign investments in Southern Sudan.
He said the government is committed to support the growth of telecommunications sector in Southern Sudan. “The Government of Southern Sudan is committed to create conducive investment environment for foreign companies to invest in Southern Sudan and we are taking this opportunity to call on investors to partner with us (GOSS) to promote development and infrastructural growth in Southern Sudan”.
Changson, who is also the GOSS Minister of Information and Broadcasting, added that the Ministry of Telecommunications is regulating the allocation of network frequencies in order to avoid rampant network interruptions that are associated with many mobile networks in Sudan. He also called on the mobile networks in Southern Sudan to improve their services to meet the expectations of their networks users.
He said Southern Sudan will soon obtain its own international dialing code in order to route international calls inside and outside Sudan. Currently, Southern Sudan-based Gemtel mobile network is using Uganda’s international dialing code (+256) to route most calls. Vivacell is using Sudan’s international dialing code (+249) to route its calls.
Vivacell is one of four GSM mobile network operators licensed to operate in Southern Sudan but is the first to be headquartered inside Southern Sudan. Vivacell is the first investment to be put up in Southern Sudan by the Fattouch Investment Group. During the first half of 2009, Vivacell aims to extend its coverage footprint to all of the 10 States.
Last April, Zain launched a GSM network in Southern Sudan, having deployed 50 base stations in the main urban areas. The company plans to spend US$150 million over the next few years on its network, which is predominantly covering the northern Sudan.
(ST)
Benywut
New mobile operator launched in South Sudan
Sounded like something to celebrate eh, well, this was an old dream, but millions of Southerners are sick with some of these unscrupulous mobile phone networks.for instance,Zain and Sudani be precise take advantage of absence of competence government telecommunication institutions or expertise and switch off and on the network when they feel like. in Towns like Aweil, It had so far become “business brotherhood” if you like. One network signal the other and has to disappeared for a week or two, three so that the other cousin’s network could owed desperate customers to make as much profit as possible. There is no competition and the government of the State is putting a blind eye on this.
The GOSS Ministry of Telecommunication, Ministry of information and other states are not any better. All Mobile network in Southern could not reach out side town skirt if one is 30-40 Km away from Town then one have to resort to outdated type of communication. Where is the peace dividends to the very people we liberated who cannot afford to live in Town?
No wonder why all Boreholes technicians, health workers, teachers, County and Payam authorities prefer to be in Cities and Some Commissioners and prefer to have their County headquarter seat in the States and States wanted to maintain their Government seats in Capital city. Then you start blaming the returnees, common masses of deserting villages yet they are left with no functioning PHCC, PHCU, schools, no clean water, no security, no roads connecting Counties and no means of communication.
Please GOSS and States, let make use of these telecommunication networks and enter into constructive agreement with them. Apart from provision of quality network services, creation of jobs that Southerners deserved, they have to participate in reconstruction and development of Southern Sudan as well by expanding services to rural areas, participate in improvement of feeder roads, trainings, provision of internet services, income generation activities support to money transfer system just to mention a few. Please pay a visit to your Neighboring Countries and inquired what other services is the network provider had to provide and how network services and rating are monitored before you liecence anynetwork or other investor “He who asked is not a fool” Foreing investors and their grantors should focus on short and long term impact of services to rural population most.
May God Bless Southern Sudan
The writer is a Southern Sudanese living & working in the South and could be reached through [email protected]
Alfred Sokiri
New mobile operator launched in South Sudan
Dear fellow south Sudanese,GoSS officials
This is really a serious mistake to give such a huge investment license (GMS Mobile) to a Lebanese businessman to operate in southern Sudan. Lebanese businessmen ( vultures), will slowly but surely, milk southern Sudan to the blood. See what is going on in Ivory cost, sierra Leon, Burkina Faso, Togo, Senegal name them… They controlled the economy and the governments of these countries and they could change these governments as they like. Many young girls have been taken from west Africa to Lebanon as house girls and subsequently end up as slaves’ sex workers. I am appealing to our government of south Sudan to open eyes on these vultures (so called Lebanese businessmen). Do you know that west Africa is the source of Lebanese development, and they are moving towards East Africa…Watch-out.
Guys, I am saying this out of my personal long experiences and observation on the Lebanese social behaviors. In short, Lebanese are highly materialistic oriented mind-set people. The value and dignity of a black human being is not existing in Lebanese society…
Aduol Liet
New mobile operator launched in South Sudan
Well,most Africa networking are not working as it should be in the other nation, for example.The mobil phone is supposed to be use within one country or the whole Africa Nations however,it does n’t seem to work well as people are likely like it. Regarding the new mobile lauched in Southern Sudan, could that mobile network phone be different than any other used network from Africa as a whole? Another question was why that new mobile phone will be functionable at those Locations which have been mentioned rather than let the new mobile networking lauching in all 10 States of Southern Sudan? I do think Southern Sudan will not be 10 States only if the separation came in the Sudan, I think there will be more than 15 States as they always need new Sudan for possiability. Infact, I wish I would give my pleasure to Investment Group who offically come up with a thoughtfully Ideas this is a good things for the people of Southern Sudan and it should be the good also for they Investment Groups. I’m very sure that, Southern Sudan will have more and more friendshiping around they Nations. This is why people of Sudan want changes in the government system in order for the people of the Sudan to have connecting with others world of Day.
Finally, I am absolutely supporting that kind of Idea but I would rather need what I had state above, Let the network to be workable like many Western’s Nations and that is the good way when needing business in one way or another.I hope you yuys take my a little advise and thank for that.
Sincerely part of Southern Sudan Native
Aduol Liet.
U,S.
spanner
New mobile operator launched in South Sudan
It sounds good but i hope it will not be like the other GHOST network call Gmetel,which untill now,no body knows the reall owner,Vivacell can win the competition in south sudan if it uses the sudan code of 249,becouse gemtel has hooked millions of dollars in the name of communication services by using Ugandan code of 256, but offers poor network services,thats why i call it GHOST-TEL not GEMTEL,becouse even the ministers,MPs,even salva him self,doesnt know who owns this Ghost-tel called gemtel,what a CORRUPTED goverment,or individual who want to get rich at the expences of the poor,i shall never pay for the sevice of this ghost network called gemtel even if south sudan becomes another country and ghost tel is the only network,i better pay for zain,or sudani cose am a sudanese and shall be sudanese though margenelised,shame on you(yes,shame on the owner of ghost-tel)
Viva la vie, vivacell,go ahead and expand to all the ten states of southern sudan,especiall greater Equatoria,becouse you will have 2 million subscribers within a year,viva la vie viva cell