The state-owned operator ethio telecom said that it has managed to access six million customers in the mobile payment system, Telebirr, in a two- month operation due to rapid penetration rate and advancement of telecom services.
The above was disclosed when the telecom service provider launched 4G LTE Advanced Service in its North North West Region that encompasses Gondar and Debere Tabor towns.
In her remark at the launching ceremony held in Gondar town of Amhara State, ethio telecom CEO Frehiwot Tamru said that the growing telecom penetration is significant to the effectiveness of the newly-launched mobile finance systems notably Telebirr.
The reliability and high-speed features of the 4G LTE advanced service will also enhance experiences of the 361, 000 customers in the region. In the region, 72, 000 customers are said to have been carrying smartphones that are capable of operating the 4G LTE advanced service.
Noting 4G advanced telecom service is 14 times faster than the existing 3G internet connectivity, Frehiwot further stated that the internet service advancement contributes to modernize economic activities in addition to easing transactions and enhancing financial inclusion in the area.
Envisioning to join the digital era, ethio telecom has prepared a new strategy dubbed BRIDGE for the years 2020-2023. Accordingly, a plan is set to channel 40 to 50 percent of the national financial transaction to Telebirr.
Speaking to The Ethiopian Herald, Gondar Mayor Molla Melkamu said that the advanced technology is of paramount importance for encouraging new investment and business ventures in the region. Also, the technology would have a paramount importance for the tourism sector.
Applauding the operator's huge engagement to enhance customer's experience, the Mayor called for the expansion of the advanced service in other towns namely Debark and Metema.
Ethio telecom set a plan to cover 103 cities across the country with 4G LTE service in the current fiscal year and has so far reached 67, it was learned.