Phone Card News
Nigeria's Visafone Begins Mobile Operations
By Nick Wood , Total Telecom
The new operator's network provides coverage to more than 40 cities including the capital Abuja, according to local press reports, "The overriding plan is to act as a springboard for Nigeria's economic growth and development," said Ninan Thomas, managing director and CEO of Visafone, in Nigeria's Vanguard newspaper.
"We have plans of engaging over 5,000 Nigerians to beef our workforce, to ensure excellent customer service, unequalled clarity, the widest coverage and seamless connectivity," he said.
The company is hoping to attract both consumers and corporate customer.
As well as 2G voice services, Visafone said from today it is also offering high speed mobile data services across its 3G EV-DO network, and commented that it is operating without any radio interference issues.
"We have tested the network over and over again and are sure that we have a network that can deliver good services," said Jim Ovia, founder of Visafone, in a report by the Nigerian Tribune.
Ovia is also the managing director and CEO of Nigeria's Zenith Bank, and has secured over $200 million of funds from a pool of commercial banks based in the country.
Ninan Thomas explained that the money will be spent on expanding Visafone's network.
"The syndicated financial windfall would come in handy for building capacity, expanding the networks and coverage area as well as in actualising part of the company's dreams of taking 5,000 Nigerians off the unemployment market in the next five years," he said.
Visafone was incorporated in June 2007, when it acquired Cellcom, another Nigerian mobile operator.
In August, the wholly Nigerian-owned operator was awarded a unified access service licence from the local regulator, the NCC.
Source:
http://www.totaltele.com/View.aspx?ID=98585&t=2
