CENORED is set to provide discounted electricity to Telecom Namibia’s solar sites and dark fibre access as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two entities.
The MoU aims to foster cooperation in driving Namibia’s digital transformation and innovation with the primary goal of establishing mutual collaboration in providing consistent and reliable electricity and related services.
According to Telecom Namibia’s CEO Stanley Shanapinda, CENORED will provide access to dark fibre, ensuring redundant and reliable telecommunications services.
In return, Telecom Namibia will contribute digital and innovative telecommunication solutions to CENORED, while also exploring the potential for laying aerial fibre in areas equipped with CENORED infrastructure.
“CENORED will also provide electricity to identified Telecom solar sites at a discounted rate and provide access to dark fibre as an alternative to Telecom’s network on various routes, ensuring redundancy for telecommunications services over CENORED’s optical ground wire (or OPGW). The sharing of public infrastructure is the cornerstone of the Harambee Prosperity Plan II (HPPII), and the two entities are delivering on that mandate with this MoU,” Shanapinda said.
The MoU enables Telecom Namibia to deliver dependable telecommunications services to the nation with minimal disruptions by ensuring a stable power supply.
CENORED Acting Chief Executive Officer, Fessor Mbango said, “the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding between our two institutions symbolizes a partnership which I strongly believe will lead to many new joint research initiatives that produce new synergies in the years ahead.”
Mbango stated that calls to rethink the ways CENORED conducts business in the ever-changing competitive and modern business environment are increasingly growing. As a business, the firm is under constant pressure to keep pace with technology.
“Therefore, CENORED Management remains cognizant that technological innovation provides opportunities for digitization and automation of business processes that improve efficiency and reduce operational cost. Electrification is associated with a broad range of social and economic benefits. Electricity is a basic necessity for quality of life and equality,” he said.
He further stated that these goals contribute to attaining high-level national objectives and contribute immensely to the industrialisation of the country.
Therefore, the firm needs to strengthen and encourage public-private partnerships, with the primary goal of better understanding respective contributions towards common development objectives.
Mbango highlighted the importance of continuous technological enhancement to effectively serve customers. He emphasized that relying solely on tariff increases is unsustainable, as large customers may seek alternative supply sources.
“The implementation of revised market rules in the Electricity Supply Industry presents an opportunity for finding alternative supply sources, ensuring competitive and sustainable tariffs. To enhance service delivery and meet customer expectations, strategic partnerships with organizations like Telecom Namibia are crucial in leveraging technological advancements,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Shanapinda said the mutual cooperation would ensure the effective and efficient provision of services to both public and private institutions, as this strategic collaboration will facilitate the provision of digital solutions and innovation.
“As we transition towards the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), Telecom Namibia remains committed to being at the forefront of the technology frontier in enabling Namibia to reach its digital economy growth needs, to both public and private institutions. The MoU will serve as a framework and guide on how both parties will jointly identify areas of cooperation and development, especially in the areas of Digital Transformation, as it relates to ensuring reliable electricity connectivity,” he said.
Telecom Namibia’s CEO expressed his satisfaction with the leadership that CENORED has shown in recent weeks in regard to reducing electricity downtimes that has an effect on Telecom’s services.
“We are happy to announce that since January this year, when the downtime was at its highest at 25,124 minutes, it has dropped in April to a downtime of 4,055 minutes. With this MoU, we expect to reduce the downtime even further. We are happy that CENORED has taken its obligations seriously, and despite its challenges has made payments to NamPower to ensure stable electricity supply, that will in turn ensure stable telecommunications connectivity, that is required for us as Telecom Namibia to provide essential telecommunications services,” he stated.
He implored the other REDS, Regional Councils, municipalities, and village councils to follow in the footsteps of the CENORED leadership.
Through the collaboration, CENORED aims to improve customer service and satisfaction for Telecom Namibia by ensuring stable electrical services, quick response times, and prompt feedback to resolve downtimes.
