By John Agou Wuoi

February 26, 2009 (JUBA) — A multinational telecommunication group, MTN Sudan has officially inaugurated a new Mobile Switching Center (MSC) that will serve MTN’s network in Southern Sudan.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Juba on Monday, the Chief Executive Officer for MTN Sudan, Mr. Hassan Jabber said the inauguration of the MSC underscores MTN’s commitment to extend its network coverage all over Southern Sudan.

"The development of Sudan in general and more specifically Southern Sudan Telecom is of paramount importance to MTN. MTN is committed to extend its network coverage to provide the South Sudan consumer to cellular communication access, exciting offers for best value for money and telecom affordability", he said.

He said MTN is also implementing community development programs to promote economic development for the people of Southern Sudan. "Our role as a corporate citizen towards Corporate Social Responsibility is to provide programs to uplift and empower communities as well as promote positive engagement with the government", he added.

MTN, which successfully launched in Juba last year, has extended its network coverage to Wau, Warrap, Rumbek, Malakal and will soon launch its network in Yei, Mundri, Bentiu, Maridi, Yambio and many other places in Southern Sudan.

The Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services in the Government of Southern Sudan, Mr. Gier Chuang who officially inaugurated the MSC called on mobile network companies in South Sudan to offer Southern Sudanese an affordable access to the mobile network as one way of improving their lives.

He also called mobile network companies and other foreign investors to put up permanent structures instead of putting up their structures using pre-fabricated materials.

The mobile switching center (MSC) is the primary service delivery node for GSM, responsible for handling voice calls and SMS as well as other services (such as conference calls, FAX and circuit switched data).

In an effort to increase its share market of subscribers, MTN also launched "MTN Zone" which allows customer to talk on the MTN Network with discounts of up to 90%, at various locations within the coverage of the network. MTN Zone has successfully been introduced in other MTN markets such as Uganda, Congo, Ghana and South Africa.

MTN joins Zain and Vivacell, owned by Lebanese-owned Fattouch Investment Group among the few multinational telecommunications to set foot in Southern Sudan.

(ST)