Kigali residents and visitors set to get free internet access at selected hot spots

SMART KIGALI OFFERS FREE INTERNET ACCESS AT SELECTED KIGALI HOTSPOTS

(Posted 23rd September 2013)

Owners of smart phones in Kigali will have reason to smile as access to the internet, free of cost, is now rolling out across Rwanda’s capital city. In particular visitors from abroad will welcome the new service, which is being put into place in a coordinate action by Rwanda’s Utilities Regulatory Agency, the Rwanda Development Board, the Rwanda Hotel and Restaurant Association and of course the service providers, Tigo, Airtel and MTN which have divided the city into sections where they will provide the free service.

A list of hot spots will be available early in the week but will include key centres in the city’s business district, hotels, popular restaurants, the main Amahoro Stadium, the public library and even the international airport from the information now provided.

Rwanda is actively seeking to take the lead as East Africa’s primary ICT destination and has made major headway with their One Laptop A Child project, which introduces the use of computers and information technology already in primary school to have the next generation fully computer literate.

Only last week did RDB enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Korean company Korea Telecom to bring 4G LTE technology to Rwanda and propel the country firmly into the latest technological standards.

Tourism is a main beneficiary already of our use of intelligent ICT services. Visitors get their Visa processed on line, they can book RwandAir flights on line, they can even construct their own itinerary and then make it reality by choosing a licensed tour operator on line. Being on line showcases the country’s attractions to the global web community and our rising visitor numbers are in large part a result of such initiatives’ added a member of the RDB Tourism and Conservation Department staff when passing the information. Can’t wait to try this out myself at the next visit to Kigali in October.

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