Upgrading CDMA in Angola

Angola's Movicel has selected Nortel to upgrade its wireless network in Angola to CDMA2000 1xEV-DO technology to boost capacity of its MoviNet Service. Movicel is Africa's largest CDMA operator, providing high speed wireless broadband services to 350,000 subscribers in Angola's capital Luanda and eight major provinces -- Bengo, Kuanza Norte, Cabinda, Benguela, Huambo, Namibe, Zaire and Huila.

Nortel and Movicel demonstrated the new EV-DO services at the annual International Fair of Luanda (FILDA 2005) in Angola last month. The technology won the "Best Innovation Golden Lion" award as the outstanding technology at the show. FILDA is considered the biggest business and industrial exhibition of Angola with approximately 17 countries participating, including Portugal, Brazil, Spain, Germany, Argentina, Uruguay, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia and several other African countries.

"Peace in Angola has led to growth in all areas, particularly the telecoms sector," said Jose Luis De Lara, chief technology officer, Movicel. "Today, Movicel offers Angolans the most advanced wireless technology and therefore the best quality services. Due to our upcoming upgrade with Nortel, we expect to enhance our product offering to a fully featured third generation national network and services such as MMS and high speed Internet access, targeting 1 to 1.5 million subscribers in five years time."

Posted to the site on 12th August 2005