New Goreangab telecoms tower unveiled
PowerCom this week unveiled its new Goreangab tower at a ceremony held on-site. The lattice free-standing vertical framework tower stands 30 meters tall and costs N$965,815.
PowerCom’s CEO, Beatus Amadhila, commented that through the company’s ongoing engagements with their stakeholders, they were able to identify areas, such as Goreangab, where stronger network coverage was needed.
Therefore, armed with that knowledge, PowerCom sought to acquire various sites, including this one.
“Consultations with multiple operators, such as Telecom Namibia, MTC, and Paratus, informed our
decision to construct 18 towers, including this one, for the 2021-22 Financial year,” stated Amadhila.
Launching the site, Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Peya Mushelenga, stated that access to communication technology solutions should be a basic necessity for all Namibians, not a luxury.
“Our regulatory bodies strive to provide affordable communication solutions while safeguarding consumers from high prices. We prioritise ensuring customer satisfaction and prompt access to information, fostering active engagement while maintaining quality,” he said.
Commending Namibia’s progress in improving online financial accessibility, supporting women’s economic opportunities, and increasing patent applications as indicated by the 2022 Network Readiness Index (NRI) report assessing 131 economies, Mushelenga highlighted room for improvement in specific areas such as mobile app development, e-commerce policies, mobile broadband internet traffic, and income inequality.
“Identifying these areas of improvement is essential in driving further growth and development for the country,” Mushelenga added.
Speaking on PowerCom’s 5-year Integrated Strategic Business Plan, PowerCom Board Chairperson Eldorette Harmse highlighted Windhoek’s significant growth in population, elaborating on the analysis process performed by PowerCom’s technical team, revealing a further need for approximately 30 new sites in Windhoek to provide adequate service to the capital city.
“Currently, we have received approval from the City of Windhoek to build six new sites within the city limits, two of which are now under construction. We have identified four additional sites for construction in the upcoming financial year, pending the receipt of Environmental Clearance Certificates. We are still waiting for feedback from the City of Windhoek on 22 site applications, which, if approved, will significantly impact connectivity in the Khomas region,” Harmse stated.
The PowerCom Goreangab tower was recently unveiled in the presence of esteemed guests including Dr. Peya Mushelenga, Minister of Communication and Information Technology, officials from the Office of the Khomas Governor, the Mayor of Windhoek, Regional Councillors, and representatives from, Namibia Post and Telecommunications Holdings, PowerCom, and Telecom.
