Sierra Leone News: SIERRATEL brings back landline communication

Technicians and experts of the country’s telecommunications company, SIERRATEL are busy installing cables across the city as part of preparation to usher in additional technological facilities as the company endeavours to re-introduce landline telephone communication service in the country.
The landline telephone service had been the major means of telephone communication in the country before the civil war. The service was obstructed following huge damage to the facility’s infrastructure during the war which led to the dilapidation and consequent disuse of landline telephone facility in the country. This trend however, is now being reversed with the introduction of a multi technological system, the CDMA and the GSM by SIERRATEL.
According to Mohamed Sawanneh, a technician at SIERRATEL, a resuscitated SIERRATEL service will be closely tied with the fibre optics through which subscribers to the landline telephone will enjoy speedy dial and will also provide visual, pictorial download and speedy internet connectivity. The new service, he said, will also ease the burden of DSTV connection as it will provide similar facilities to subscribers.
Sawanneh stated that the installation process will be done countrywide as other personnel are presently busy in the provinces installing poles for similar processes to follow suit.
He explained that the new modem provides a speedy internet system that can also take 8 computers at one go for which subscribers will be given one month free service.
Sawanneh acknowledged that most of the cables that were installed underneath the ground had worn out. He explained that the previous cables were paper quoted and were affected due to their contact with water. He said the ones being currently rolled out are rubber quoted and have strong resistance to water and heat.
By Keifa M. Jaward
Friday October 04, 2013