Huawei to drive new wave of mobile telecom services in Cote d’Ivoire

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd (Huawei), a leader in providing next generation telecommunications network solutions for operators around the world, has been selected by Comium Mobile, a leading total telecommunications services group and West Africa’s leading mobile service provider, to build a GSM network in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). The contract includes providing a full turnkey GSM, GPRS, 3G and Intelligent Network in Ivory Coast.
The project adopts Huawei’s innovative EnerG GSM solution and new generation GSM Dual Density Base Transceiver Station, or BTS. Huawei’s EnerG GSM solution first introduces 3G technology to a GSM network, enabling the operator to enhance the efficiency and performance of its network, while reducing operational and capital expenditure.  Huawei’s new-generation dual-density BTS features both high density and receiving sensitivity capabilities, and is widely adopted by GSM operators globally.
As a result of a successful three year partnership with Huawei in Sierra Leone and Liberia, Comium Mobile selected Huawei to deploy the GSM network. The telecoms and mobile GSM market in Ivory Coast is set to witness exponential growth and Comium Mobile is gearing up to bring tangible and sustainable value to its customers.
The company is committed to launching the network commercially by the first quarter of 2007. With a population of over 17 million, and a mobile penetration rate of 13.5 per cent, Comium aims to grow the Ivory Coast market with the introduction of innovative products and services, highly competitive and cost-efficient pricing strategy, and superior service quality in terms of coverage, customer care, and distribution channels.
“Comium is aggressively pursuing the acquisition of new licenses across West Africa. The success we are enjoying in Liberia and Sierra Leone is inspiring us to grow regionally by providing differentiated customer experience through the provision of innovative products and services including affordable GSM solutions, broadband internet and international voice service offerings. Huawei is an enabling partner for this mission with its technically advanced solutions that help us deliver on our vision of bringing new means of communication to people,” said Dr. Nizar Dalloul, Chairman and CEO of the Comium Group.
“There is increasing demand for a wider range of telecom applications and services in West Africa,” said Ding Shaohua, General Vice President of Huawei Technologies. “We have been working with Comium Mobile since 2004 on the development and implementation of its GSM networks in Sierra Leone and Liberia and this new contract cements the relationship between the two companies. Comium Mobile is an ambitious operator in the region with great growth potential. We are jointly working with their world-class team to help them meet their aggressive targets and to bring the latest telecom solutions to West Africa.”
With its vision of enriching people’s life through communications, Huawei continues to make investment in GSM technology innovation. Huawei’s EnerG GSM solution has been adopted by telecom operators in over 80 countries, and the company has accumulated extensive experience and expertise in the construction of large-scale and densely populated area networking, as well as planning, optimisation and performance management of networks, winning the respect and trust of major global telecom operators.
About Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Huawei”) is a leader in providing next generation telecommunications network solutions for operators around the world. The company is dedicated to providing innovative and customized products, services and solutions to create long-term value and potential growth for its customers. Huawei’s products and solutions are deployed in over 100 countries and serve 28 of the world’s top 50 operators, as well as over one billion users worldwide.
For more information, please visit www.huawei.com.
About Comium Group
Comium Mobile is a fully owned subsidiary of the Comium Group Luxemburg. In addition to the Ivory Coast, Comium is licensed to carry out GSM 900/1800, International Voice and Broadband Wireless Internet services in Liberia and Sierra Leone. It offers integrated mobile and telecom services comprising of postpaid and prepaid voice communications, value-added services, SMS, and secure high speed Internet Access, together with low cost alternative International calling card services.
About Comium Luxemburg
The Comium Group is present in over nine countries and operates several telecom assets in the Middle East and Africa regions with a wide range of activities in GSM, international traffic, internet, broadband wireless and data operations, Content, E-Government portals, contracting and turn key services engineering, as well as e-commerce, web-design and engineering. Since its foundation in 1992, the Group has dedicated itself to the advancement of emerging markets and has delivered on the promise in several countries like Liberia, Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Iraq, Armenia, Brazil and more recently Ivory Coast.