Thuraya's drive in the emerging markets has been rewarded with the launch of Public Calling Offices in Zambia and Cameroon. Both countries are set to benefit from a versatile business tool oriented towards small entrepreneurs.
As part of its focus on core African and developing markets, Thuraya has recently launched the Public Calling Office (PCO) in Zambia and Cameroon, as an affordable communication solution for residential settlements and rural communities in remote areas. The PCO is designed to address regional needs for universal access to telecoms and to provide opportunities for small entrepreneurs in rural and under-developed areas.
The launch in the two African markets has been through a commercial partnership with Fort Info Technology, a Dubai-based long-standing service provider for Thuraya services across several countries. The initiative in both Zambia and Cameroon is in turn being undertaken in partnership with local Non Government Organisations (NGOs), who are responsible for installing the PCO in remote areas.
Thuraya's PCO provides voice, data and fax communication for communities based in remote and rural areas who have no access to terrestrial networks. At cost-effective rates it enables people to call and send text messages to friends, family and colleagues nationally and internationally in multiple languages and without having to purchase a mobile satellite handset.
In Cameroon, Fort partnered with Help Out a humanitarian NGO, whereby PCOs have been allocated to the bush areas and cocoa plantations. Similarly in Zambia, Connect Africa, also an NGO, have installed PCO units in the copper belt region and safari park areas.
Dr Sven Rohte, Chief Commercial Officer, Thuraya Telecommunications Company has stated that Thuraya's ongoing partnership with Fort now encompasses working relationships with humanitarian NGOs which are actively bringing business opportunities to the doors of people within the communities they support.
Fort's Manager of Development and Operations, Ms Jane Macbeth added: "Both these projects in Cameroon and Zambia have received strong support from local governments and are a stepping stone in further rolling out the PCO which will be beneficial to the people of these countries who otherwise are provided with little or no stable and consistent means of communication. The PCOs have been well received by the communities who appreciate both the social and economic benefit of the service."
* Thuraya provides mobile satellite services in more than 140 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Services include mobile voice to support dual GSM and satellite mode, broadband, maritime, rural telephony, fleet management and other advanced applications that enable people and businesses everywhere under its coverage to enjoy constant access to communications and information. The company launched its third satellite in January 2008, which has brought countries of the Asia-Pacific region under its footprint and extended its coverage to nearly two thirds of the globe's population.
Thuraya was founded in 1997 by a consortium of national telecommunications operators and investment firms from the region.
** Fort Info Technology is a Thuraya international satellite telecommunications and IP solutions company with its Head Office in Dubai, UAE. It provides satellite telecommunication services and solutions to over 50,000 subscribers in enterprise, government, maritime and consumer markets.
More info:
