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Technology Stocks : Qualcomm Moderated Thread - please read rules before posting -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: waitwatchwander who wrote (31420)	1/20/2003 2:22:11 PM
From: waitwatchwander	Respond to of 197214

MTS begins deployment of equipment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Godfrey Ikhemuemhe Monday, January 20, 2003 LAGOS—Indications emerged at the weekend that Nigeria’s pioneer Wireless Phone operator, MTS First Wireless has signed agreements worth N15 billion for the deployment of a total of 3,000 km Long Distance Communications network. The agreements also cover the deployment of 700,000 CDMA 20001X fixed lines in the country. As a follow-up to the agreements, China Putian/ Eastcom of China has begun the supply of equipment for the deployment of an initial 300,000 voice and data lines. The equipment started arriving at the weekend. The deployment of the 300,000 lines is coming in the first phase of the company’s operation. Full deployment of the first phase is expected to have been completed by the first quarter of the year. The balance of the 400,000 lines of the MTS network will come in the second phase of the project which will commence immediately after the first phase. Confirming the development at the weekend, Reuben Mouka, MTS First Wireless Corporate Affairs Manager, said more than 30 Engineers would be arriving from China Putian to begin the installation of equipment during the week. Mouka said that the development is a landmark for the telecommunications industry in Nigeria because the MTS First Wireless deployment would be the largest single deployment in Nigeria by a private company. The N15 billion which the company is committing to the network is made up of financing for the supply of a fixed wireless and long distance equipment as well as cost of deployment and other services. It is expected that before the end of the first quarter of the year full commercial services would have taken-off on the MTS Fixed Wireless network. Funding of the network is being provided by local banks, The US Exim Bank, and Investors from outside Nigeria led by Jessie Hill, the retired chairman of Atlanta Life Insurance – the largest African-American US Insurance company, and former director of Intelsat. Hill is currently the chairman of the US-based MTS Inc. MTS Inc. has substantial interest in MTS First Wireless. Mouka confirmed that equipment for the deployment of the network would begin to arrive both by sea and air beginning from this weekend. The first phase of the deployment would bring MTS services to 12 cities including Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Onitsha/Asaba amongst others. Mouka however says that services would commence from Lagos before spreading to other cities.