ETC to increase capacity for 2.4 million users

The Ethiopian Telecommunication Corporation (ETC) is currently undertaking an expansion of its mobile network Ethiomobile, aimed at increasing capacity to accommodate around 2.4 million subscribers. The project is being carried out in three phases, with the first round having just begun. The telco has contracted Nokia to provide equipment for the expansion. During phase one Nokia will install new lines for 350,000 users; Ethiomobile hopes to have signed up around 150,000 new customers in Addis Ababa by the end of 2005. 250,000 new mobile lines will be rolled out during phase two, and an additional five million new lines will be added in the third round of the project. At the end of September 2005 there were around 650,000 mobile users in Ethiopia.