Addis Ababa, July 2 (WIC) – The Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) said it has finalized majority of the mobile phone network upgrading works launched in Addis Ababa City Administration this budget year.

ETC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Amare Amsalu, told WIC that 80 per cent of the upgrading works began last March has already been completed.    

Concerning series of optimization works the corporation has been undertaking across the country, Amare said the remaining upgrading works would be finalized with in few weeks.      

According to Amare, the upgrading works would help fully address problems being encountered in the provision of mobile phone services by fusing the mobile phone networks installed by various companies together.    

He said the corporation is undertaking the upgrading works at 400 stations in Addis Ababa alone and similar works would be carried out in various towns across the country.   

The corporation has installed diesel generators at 150 stations in Addis Ababa in a bid to tackle inconveniences that occur because of electric power interruption.    

The upgrading works being carried out in the metropolis raised mobile network capacity of the country to 2.5 million from below one million previously.   

Moreover, alongside the mobile phone network upgrading works, the corporation is working to improve the fixed and wireless telephone as well as broadband services, he added.   

According to Amare, the corporation is undertaking network expansion works and other projects across the country with a budget amounting 1.5 billion USD.