State-owned Telecom Partners with Samsung

Mar 18 , 2023

Ethio telecom, the state-owned telecommunications provider, has teamed up with Samsung Electronics Company to launch an initiative aimed at boosting smartphone usage among its customers. This comes amid widespread internet restrictions that have left millions of Ethiopians without access to popular social media platforms such as Telegram, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok. Ethiopia trails Ghana in providing the cheapest internet packages in Africa and has 15.3 Mbps download speed which is 61pc higher than the 9.5 Mbps sub-Saharan Africa average. Seid Aragaw, chief marketing officer at the telecom, expressed his hope during a recent ceremony held at the Ethiotelecom Premium Center on Churchill Street, that the initiative would help to increase the number of smartphone users, which currently stands at 46pc. The company offers its customers three new models from Samsung's flagship S series - the S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra, priced at 95,000 Br, 105,000 Br, and 140,000 Br, respectively. Charles Kimari, the Internet & Mobile Experience Director for Samsung Electronics East Africa, noted that smartphones are intended to cater to customers with varying budgets and lifestyles. According to him, the S23 series is designed to provide better features and functionality to customers who are increasingly reliant on smartphones.