The launch marks the mobile broadband provider’s entrance into the country, and is part of YooMee’s strategy to expand across the West African region.
“I am very proud that the authorities of Côte d’Ivoire have issued to YooMee the necessary permissions and spectrum to build the first LTE network in the country,” said Dov Bar-Gera, CEO of YooMee Africa. “With this network, West Africa is leapfrogging into a new era of the internet.”
YooMee’s Côte d’Ivoire operations are based in Abidjan, and the company hopes the network roll-out will allow both businesses and consumers in the country to experience faster and more stable internet connectivity.
Peter Ziegelwanger, group CTO at YooMee Africa, said that in the space of 100 days the company’s local team has already deployed the first base of the network.
“We are all very proud of such an achievement,” he said. “In the coming days, the quality of internet in Abidjan will be comparable to the great capitals of the world.”
According to a statement from the company, YooMee has developed its network “on the proven expertise of Alcatel-Lucent”, and hopes the deployment to significantly increase its subscriber base in Côte d’Ivoire.
The West African ACE cable lands in Côte d’Ivoire and has connection points all along West Africa and up into Europe, meaning the country is well placed for international connectivity.
