MTN hands over 4bn CFA Fibre Optic to Cameroon gov’t

An investment of 14 billion CFA Francs from the West African System Cable (WASC) built by the mobile operator Mobile Telecommunication Network (MTN) has been handed over to the Cameroonian government.

The colourful hand-over ceremony took place at the project site in Limbe of the Southwest region and attended by several government officials, including the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Jean Pierre Biyi Bi Essam. MTN was represented by its Cameroon Director-General, Karl Toriola. The Fibre Optic equipment is expected to enhance the telecommunication industry in Cameroon, officials said.

According to the minister, the handing over is “a key step in the country’s telecommunication industry and the promotion of public-private partnership”. Mr Bi Essam added “it is a key step in the provision of broadband to the Cameroonian people, especially multi-national companies and institutions”. The Firbre Optic is 14 500 km long whiles the WASC also has a capacity of 5.2 Terabits per second (TBPS) to a wavelength of 40 Giga per second (GBPS). Reports say the government of Cameroon had to fulfill a right of affiliation of 12 billion CFA FRANCS and reimburse 2 billion CFA FRANCS to the company for the WASC station.

The Fibre Optic would be managed by Cameroon Telecommunications (CAMTEL), the country’s telecom public operator.