Stalled north-south MOU stalls mobile phone expansion in Sudan
JUBA, Sudan, March 30 (Gurtong) – A stalled memorandum of understanding
(MOU) between telecommunications officials in north and south Sudan has cut
short mobile phone expansion in the country said authorities on Friday.
The MOU was agreed in September but the national Minister for Information and
Communications has failed to sign it, said the southern government’s Minister
for Telecommunications and Postal Services Gier Cuang Along.
The issue of the unsigned MOU is now with the national presidency, said Along.
The agreement would mean that two southern mobile telephone companies would
be able to expand into northern Sudan.
Four north-owned companies are already operating in the south’s capital
of Juba and other major towns, together with ‘Gemtel’, a southern
company which has 12,500 users according to the ministry.
“We argue that Gemtel and NOW (Network of the World) should have equal
right to operate everywhere, if they cannot be allowed why should we allow the
four northern companies to operate in the south?” said a ministry official.
The two southern companies were created before the signing of the peace agreement
by the then-rebel administration.
According to the peace agreement, all contracts signed before Jan. 2005 remain
valid.
But a question of wartime wording is creating complexity. The rebel Sudan People’s
Liberation Movement (SPLM) -- now the leading political party in the south –
famously said they were fighting for a ‘New Sudan’.
‘New Sudan’ was the vision of the former leader of the SPLM, John
Garang who was killed in a helicopter crash in July 2005.
“These companies were licensed to work in ‘New Sudan’, the
definition of New Sudan is whole Sudan, a secular state with justice equality
and freedom of worship,” said Eng. Juma Stephen Lugga, in an earlier interview.
“But they are saying the definition of New Sudan is the southern Sudan.
They are saying that Gemtel and NOW can only work in the south,” explained
Lugga.
DIALLING CODE
The MOU would also change the Gemtel dialing code currently being used from
246, which is the Ugandan code, to a Sudanese one said Along.
“If the MOU is signed, the code will change … maybe with a signaling
point, so if you ring from Canada you dial 249 for Sudan and then either 1 or
2 as a signaling point for the south,” said Along “we’re going
to put up our own gateway”.
Along said that the code should come directly to south because of ‘security
concerns’. “Somebody in Khartoum said we are not supposed to use
code 249 … we went and made an agreement (with Uganda) so that we are
given interconnectivity as an interim arrangement,” said Along.
In February several Ugandan government ministers complained to the press that
Gemtel was operating illegally. The Ugadan ‘New Vision’ newspaper
said that some ministers wanted Interpol to investigate the company.
But Along denied that there was anything criminal about Gemtel using the Ugandan
dialing tone.
“There is a contract between Gemtel and UTC (the national Ugandan Telecom
Company), to use the gateway, Gemtel is paying US$50,000 a month” said
Lugga.
Lugga said that the frequency range designated for Sudan had not yet been officially
shared with the south.
“When the MOU is signed we are going to use the frequency designated for
Sudan, because it is divided also it is a rare resource … Sudan is one
country of two systems, Southern Suda |
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