In light of increased competition between operators on the East African market, Celtel wanted to further enhance its network efficiency in the region. So the company turned to Ericsson for an answer.

Managing Director of Celtel Uganda Lars Andersen says: "After nine years of GSM operations, Celtel Uganda was facing all sorts of network issues. This prompted us to swap out everything and go for an aggressive rollout, doubling our coverage in half a year. The task was tendered out and Ericsson came out on top."

Andersen continues: "A very demanding timetable was set for the first phase, which included switch installation and rollout of the entire network in Kampala. But through close cooperation with competent Ericsson management and the help of skillful, dedicated specialists, we ensured that the task was completed successfully. It was an impressive performance."

Ericsson is in fact Celtel's leading supplier in Africa, and the two companies have built excellent relationships at many levels. In addition to performing a network swap for Celtel in Sudan, Ericsson has also done work for the company in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Gabon and Chad. And for the past 18 months Ericsson has been supplying Celtel with transmission equipment in Tanzania.

Celtel's new network means the company can double its coverage in Uganda, connecting customers in twice the number of areas previously covered. In addition, the new equipment means Celtel can further improve service quality for its Tanzanian customers.

Andersen explains: "The new Celtel network will enhance our customers' experience, with greater sound clarity, faster connectivity and stronger signals. Customers will also enjoy better reliability with this new, stable network."

Using Ericsson RBS 2000 products, with better radio performance than equipment from other vendors, Celtel will benefit from improved coverage and better quality. On top of that, by using Ericsson's new Expander RAN capabilities, the solution will ensure a future proof network rollout strategy.

Expander brings down the number of sites needed for the initial rollout and enables flexible capacity expansion without sacrificing coverage. This means Celtel benefits from better coverage at lower investment cost. The base stations are also prepared for GPRS/EDGE, allowing a smooth transition into 3G services.

With the new equipment, Uganda now has the most modern mobile network in Africa. Andersen says: "Users in Kampala are already experiencing the benefits of an improved network, and will see greater network coverage over the next two weeks; and in the rest of Uganda over the next few months."

A recent Yankee Group report shows mobile penetration rates in Uganda and Tanzania of between three percent and four percent respectively, with an estimated growth rate in Tanzania of around two percent per year up to 2006.

The same report ranks Africa as the world's fastest-growing region for mobile communications over the next five years. This is good news for Celtel, which currently operates in 13 different African countries and is well positioned for expansion across the continent.

Managing Director of Celtel Tanzania Steve Torode says: "We have an ongoing plan to further enhance the services we offer to our customers. And with Ericsson's latest technology and enhanced products we look forward to being able to keep this commitment in the months and years ahead."

Having proven its capability to Celtel in Uganda and Tanzania, Ericsson is now ready to help the company achieve its future goals in Africa. As Ericsson VP Celtel International Edvard Gavefalk says: "We look forward to bringing value to other parts of the Celtel network, so that it can continue to grow its African market share by offering high-quality communication solutions that are well suited for growth markets."

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