Under the brand name of Halotel, Viettel will offer nationwide 2G and 3G services. It is also aiming to bring connectivity to the most remote areas of the East African country.
The operator has initially invested up to $736 million in network infrastructure, including 18,000 km of optical cable and more than 3,000 base transceivers.
The company has also said that it will provide free internet connectivity to 450 public schools over the next three years, and has already deployed optical cable to 150 committees, 150 public hospitals, 150 police stations and 65 post offices within the first half of the year.
“Viettel’s vision is to provide every Tanzanian with a mobile phone and bring communication and information technology to every corner of life of the country. Our entry into Tanzania reflects our belief that when telecommunications services are accessible to everyone, and become a part of everyday life, they can be a driving force contributing to socio-economic development for the country as a whole” said Nguyen Manh Hung, general director of Viettel Group.
Viettel will compete with four other operators in the country – Bharti Airtel, Zantel, Vodacom Tanzania and Tigo Tanzania
Its network roll out in Tanzania, follows the launch of services in Burundi and Cameroon earlier this year, and in Mozambique in 2014.
