ITU signs deal to build 180 base stations in Africa to expand broadband access

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has signed a deal with Nexpedience, one of the world’s leading suppliers of broadband infrastructure, to provide 180 new base stations worth $1 million for six countries in Africa, a statement from the UN agency said August 2, 2012.

The move is to expand access to broadband services for the continent

“The first nation to benefit from the new infrastructure is Burundi, with deployments also planned for Djibouti, Burkina Faso, Mali, Rwanda and Swaziland,” the ITU said indicating the base stations will be designed to withstand extreme meteorological conditions and will be capable of providing up to 32 kilometres of sector coverage.

The agreement was signed in Geneva by the Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), Brahima Sanou and Nexpedience’s CEO Kiriako Vergos.

The project is under the ITU’s Wireless Broadband Network in Africa programme which aims to develop and implement wireless broadband connectivity and applications that will provide free or low-cost digital access for schools, hospitals, and under-served populations in rural and remote areas Africa-wide.

By Ekow Quandzie