Afghan Telecom Company to offer 3G and GSM services

The Afghan Telecom Company has signed a $32m deal to provide GSM and 3G to the 15 per cent of Afghanistan’s population that is not currently covered by these services.

The arrangement between the former state-owned company and an unnamed Chinese provider will see 700 telecommunication towers installed in 'insecure areas' where three private companies have failed to fulfil 24-hour internet commitments.

The Minister of Telecommunication and Information Technology, Amirzai Sangin, told a news conference in Kabul that the service will start to be made available to major areas in March 2013.