Alcatel Wins Congo GPRS Upgrade

Alcatel has been selected by Vodacom Congo for the deployment of a complete end-to-end GPRS (EDGE-ready) mobile data solution in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The new mobile "always on" data services will be made available by Vodacom Congo from the first quarter of 2006, covering the country's main cities (Kinshasa, Goma, Lubumbashi, Mbuyi Mayi and Matadi). Upon the deployment of the new network, Vodacom Congo will be able to accommodate all of its more than 1.5 million subscribers on data.

Alcatel has been Vodacom Congo's main telecom solutions supplier since the operator's inception in May 2002. It already provided Vodacom Congo with enhanced radio access and core, intelligent payment, microwave and satellite transmission solutions.

"Vodacom has always stood at the forefront of new mobile services that really match African people's needs for efficient communication solutions in each of our market countries. Therefore, we are particularly proud to make new mobile data services available for the people in the Democratic Republic of Congo," Mr Dietlof Mare, Managing Director for Vodacom Congo declared."

Posted to the site on 10th February 2006