Orange Uganda launches GSM services with 3G to follow

France Telecom (FT) launched mobile services in Uganda yesterday under the brand of Orange, making it the operator’s 15th subsidiary in Africa. Earlier this month Comm. reported that FT was racing to launch services in the East African country before the end of the first quarter.

Orange shop In addition to initial investments, Orange Uganda has committed €200 million (US$253 million) over the coming three years, with the GSM network to be expanded to provide nationwide coverage, as well as 3G services.

Orange Uganda’s launch offers include a national flat rate per second or per minute, a range of international tariffs and a call-back service. 3G broadband will be offered within the next few months.

The launch of operations follows the acquisition by France Telecom of a 53 per cent stake in the licensee Hits Telecom Uganda in November last year. The universal service licence allows the operation of a range of access technologies including GSM, WCDMA and WiMAX, and also permits the licensee to deploy an international gateway.

Uganda is currently served by MTN, Zain, Uganda Telecom and Warid, with Uganda Telecom the only 3G provider at present. The population comes to 30 million people, with a mobile penetration level of 27 per cent.

Other Orange subsidiaries in Africa are Egypt (Mobinil), Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Cameroon, Madagascar, Botswana, Mauritius (Cellplus), Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Bissau, Kenya and Niger. Globally, Orange has a customer base of 123 million subscribers.

Orange Uganda guns for Q1 launch

FT hands Hits Telecom Uganda a ‘get-out-of-jail’ card

15 comments ↓

#1 wobusobozi moses on 03.19.09 at 8:41 pm

We are happy to welcame you to Uganda and wish you a happy stay and good work in the country. However, we need some of the coverage to be extended to other districts such as Kibale Hoima Masindi.

Thank you and welcome

#2 musinguzi michael on 03.26.09 at 12:17 pm

Welcome to Uganda. We hope for the best and efficient service across the nation even to upcountry districts. Some areas are still virgin. Mobile repairs and training will add to customer beef up. Good luck.

#3 mimi on 03.28.09 at 7:28 pm

Need the 3G i phone ASAP how soon can we get it launched here?

#4 Gonzaaga Katuramu on 05.11.09 at 9:42 am

I very happy to here that an internation company as Orange is to offer us a quality service we are tired poor quality internet services
3G please
Thanks

#5 JERONO FAITH on 06.07.09 at 7:17 pm

Mr.Phillippe, I would like to pass my sincere message of congratulations on bringing a source of refreshment to Uganda’s world of communication. we really want to see the refreshment…To success!

#6 HIGIRO BRIAN on 07.30.09 at 5:16 pm

Orange,welcome to the club. You are between a rock and a hard place, never sympathise with your competitors. Run and never stop. Work on your advertising techniques, if not I don’t know, perhaps think twice. I wish you luck. Love Brian

#7 Derrick on 08.22.09 at 1:39 pm

How can I get to know the prices of the Orange mobile phones and tariffs? I would be very happy if you would reply me. Thank you

Derrick

#8 alisdair on 11.21.09 at 8:32 pm

Orange you guys are sleeping. You have lousy services, don’t know where you pick your technicians from. They know nothing about computers, can you believe one failed to install the 3G mobile on my Ubuntu laptop saying that he has never heard of something called Linux. Guys wake up, improve services maybe we shall subscribe then!

#9 Musiimenta on 12.01.09 at 1:38 pm

I would like Internet services in my home how much is it. Please let me know.

#10 zimula peter on 12.06.09 at 10:43 pm

Orange Uganda has helped us in fact. Can you imagine since Uganda started to use 3G services we never had an affordable service as the one being offered by Orange. And even the speed, imagine 3.6 Mbps and 3GB
a month, long live Orange and keep on giving us cheap, good services.

#11 esther on 02.09.10 at 11:21 am

Hi, we appreciate the service you have given us. We have given it a trial run and are rather pleased. However, I paid on 7th December 2009 and expect my subsciption to run for 3 months ending 7th March 2010 ( I have my own modem and paid 145,000/=) but I have been receiving messages that my subsciption is about to expire, do you give 1 month reminders?

#12 David on 02.24.10 at 3:08 pm

I wanted to know the cost of your USB modems. How much does each cost?

#13 mayende tasman on 03.20.10 at 10:56 pm

Does your Internet coverage extend to Soroti? People in Soroti badly need your Internet services, especially 3G Internet. If not, how soon will your services reach here?

#14 Simon on 04.07.10 at 4:01 pm

Is it possible to use it as modem?

#15 Nionzima on 06.30.10 at 10:22 pm

How much do I need to connect to Orange mobile network, and what are the charges per month?

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