Ikatel to launch WiMax

Malian telco Ikatel, a subsidiary of France Telecom, has contracted Californian vendor Alvarion to supply and deploy its BreezeMAX 3500 system, in the capital city of Bamako. The installation of the WiMAX network is expected to be complete by the end of the year and will allow it to offer broadband wireless internet access, a first for the country. Ikatel has been operational in Mali since February 2003. It is the largest wireless operator, with 550,000 subscribers at the end of September 2005.