Sierra Leone’s state-owned incumbent operator Sierratel has launched mobile 4G services.
The operator held a monopoly on 3G services in the market until the liberalisation of the telecoms sector between 2011 and 2012, after which CEO Edward Sesay admits that Sierratel became “the sick child of telecommunications” in the market.
However, the launch of 4G now positions Sierratel ahead of rivals including Orange, Smart Mobile, Cellcom and Ambitel. Its only 4G rival in the market currently is Africell.
Speaking about the launch, Sesay said: “It’s our mantra to think big, to act big and to grow up. The 4G LTE network is a clear indication of this resolution. We want to assure everyone that our network is running at full capacity and that the rest of Sierra Leone will benefit from our very affordable services. Our network covers Freetown and already most parts of the country.”