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Building the Infrastructure: Wealth of New Choices
Key Forum session at ITU TELECOM AFRICA 2004 to explore different infrastructure solutions, and examine the role these could play in Africa’s ICT future
Cairo, 3 May 2004 — Significant investment has been made in wireless technology in Africa. ITU’s new publication, African Telecommunication Indicators, which is due to be launched on 3 May shows that mobile usage now way outstrips that of fixed line, with mobile users numbering almost 51 million at the end of 2003. Africa’s relative lack of population density has meant that wireless solutions have been particularly appropriate for extending telecommunications technology into new areas.

Mobile technology has gone further than any other technology in expanding the reach of telecommunications. The rapid growth of the region’s mobile subscribers in recent years has contrasted sharply with more sluggish fixed line growth. Nevertheless, fixed wireless networks are starting to be utilized as an alternative to traditional copper wire networks and indeed by mid 2003, in Nigeria, new fixed wireless networks accounted for some 30% of all fixed lines.

Meanwhile, other wireless access technologies, such as WLANs (Wireless Local Area Networks) are being harnessed to rollout broadband Internet services, with ITU pilot projects using broadband to ‘leapfrog’ traditional fixed line infrastructure and offer voice, data and Internet services in areas which previously did not have access to fixed line services.

Emerging technologies such as WiMax — which is currently being developed and trialled in a number of countries — and which has the capacity to transport large amounts of data over long distances could also have a significant role to play in Africa’s ICT future.

Finding the Correct Solutions
With such a range of options, operators need to be sure that they are making the correct choice in terms of what technology to invest in for the future. The "Building the Infrastructure" Forum session at ITU TELECOM AFRICA 2004 will look at how Africa’s telecommunications infrastructure can be expanded.

Does existing wireless infrastructure support a migration to next generation technologies — for example, and how important are these likely to be for Africa? With such a low level of PC penetration, mobile could well have a key role to play in expanding Internet use. With keynote contributions from Mr Zhu Jin Yun of ZTE’s CDMA division, this session is likely to focus on key issues facing the industry today, as well as tomorrow.

The growth of fixed line services has been almost static alongside the rapid advance of mobile services. However, fixed line services still undoubtedly have their roles to play, particularly in densely populated urban centres. This Forum session will examine alternative access technologies, such as fixed wireless solutions, and how these can be used to help revitalize the stagnating fixed line sector.

And what of broadband technology? Although still in its infancy in the African region, broadband has been rolled out by a number of the region’s incumbents. Uptake has, however, been constrained to date by a number of factors including a lack of infrastructure. Keynote speakers such as Mr Karl Xhanti Socikwa, CEO of South Africa’s Transtel, along with panelists drawn from leading vendors, operators and regulators will assess Africa’s readiness for broadband, and examine the suitability of broadband access technologies.

Despite new and emerging access solutions, the need for fibre bandwidth — the range of frequencies through which voice, data and Internet traffic is transmitted — is still paramount. Bandwidth costs in Africa are among the highest in the world, and a lack of affordable bandwidth is threatening to constrain ICT growth. This session will also examine the alternatives open to Africa, which could provide additional fibre bandwidth.

Featuring a broad range of participants drawn from across the industry, from regulatory representatives to vendors and operators as well as industry experts, this session will be a key one for observers of Africa’s changing telecommunications landscape. Fixed, mobile or Internet, Africa’s ICT future looks set to be a wireless one. Find out what new developments will be shaping the sector, and what infrastructure solutions are best suited to the needs of the African region, in order to most effectively extend the benefits of ICTs into new areas.

"Building the Infrastructure" will take place at the CICC (Room Mycerinos A) on 5 May, from 11-12.30.

From ITU Web site at http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2004/NP06.html