BlackBerry finally lands in Kampala
This follows the unveiling of the BlackBerry to corporate consumers by mobile telecommunication company Celtel Uganda, a subsidiary of Zain (former MTC Group), at the Kampala Serena Hotel on 21 September 2007. Ugandans will have to part with at least $500, and a monthly subscription fee of $50, to own the famous BlackBerry Enterprise ICT solution.
The wireless voice and data communication device will enable cusumer's access to their corporate intranet and e-mails, web browse, chat, SMS and a host of several other mobile voice and data solutions even outside their offices.
Martin Sebuliba, Celtel Uganda's marketing manager, corporate and SME, said the phone is ideal because it enables professionals to carry on their work at anytime and anywhere.
“In real life, using a BlackBerry, a marketing manager of a manufacturing firm can be able to read daily reports from his sales representatives while he is still home. That way, he can save valuable time when he finally gets to the office. Alternatively, he can still...exchange e-mails with his team in real time even though he is abroad,” Sebuliba said.
Celtel Uganda managing director, Yesse Oenga said, “The launch of this internationally endorsed service is at the perfect time when Uganda prepares to host Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting [CHOGM].” The meeting, which is expected to be attended by at least 52 heads of states, 5,000 foreign delegates and journalists, will be held in November in Kampala.
“We are proud to partner with the government in preparation for this very important meeting that will bring delegates from around the world to Uganda. We believe that hosting the CHOGM meeting is a huge milestone for the country and Celtel is proud to be part of this opportunity,” Oenga noted.
“Celtel has over the last 12 months grown exponentially both in customer numbers as well network capacity. Celtel has been preparing for this growth and the market should be ready for first-class products based on recent technologies like Next Generation Networks and 3G,” he explained.
Oenga added that the BlackBerry service is aligned with the company's vision of delivering products and services that enhance the lives of Ugandans. “It also signals where we intend to take the market in terms of harnessing new technologies to improve efficiency and affordability,” he said.
In the past two years alone Celtel has invested over $100 million in network-coverage expansion as well as network upgrades, paving way for delivery of innovational products based on cutting-edge technology.
Earlier this year, Zain, which owns Celtel International, signed a deal with Dubai-based Emitac Mobile Solutions - the appointed vendor for BlackBerry - to roll out the communications solutions in all the countries where the group has presence, according to a statement form Celtel.
Following the deal, BlackBerry services were launched in Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Kenya and Tanzania and are still to be launched in Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Zambia.
