Eritrean Telecommunications Corporation

Infobox Company
company_name = EriTel
company_logo =
company_type =
foundation = 1996 [cite web|url=http://www.itu.int/WORLD2003/forum/youthforum/national_report2003.pdf|title=Telecommunication Development Country Reportfor Eritrea|accessdate=2007-05-24]
location = Asmara, Eritrea
key_people =
industry = Communications Services
products = Local wireline telecommunication services, mobile phone operator and ISP
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees =
subsid =
homepage = [http://www.tse.com.er www.tse.com.er]
footnotes =

The Eritrean Telecommunications Corporation (formerly the Telecommunications Service of Eritrea), more commonly know as EriTel, is the sole operator of land line telephone communication infrastructure in Eritrea. It is also the sole operator of the mobile telephone service, however, it is but one of several internet service providers in Eritrea.

EriTel (mobile phone operator)

Mobile service by EriTel started in March 2004 and service has grown considerably since inception. EriTel operates a GSM 900 network which covers almost all major urban areas including: Asmara, Embatkala, Ghinda, Massawa, Dekemhare, Mendefera, Keren, Adi Keyh, Barentu, Teseney, Agordat, Sawa, [cite web|accessdate=2006-10-17|url=http://www.shaebia.org/artman/publish/article_4699.html|title=Mobile Subscribers Reach 58,000] and Nakfa. [cite web|accessdate=2006-10-17|url=http://www.shabait.com/staging/publish/article_005593.html|title=Mobile phone service introduced in Nacfa town]

This branch of EriTel was founded jointly between the Government of Eritrea and Ubambo Investment Holdings Limited (a South African firm). Eritel doesn't provide its customers with SMS services to foreign locations. [cite web|url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/AllDocsByUNID/bfc5ed90ba2c9d6385256a5b0065a425|title=Eritrea: First mobile phone company about to be launched|accessdate=2007-01-21]

EriTel (ISP)

As an internet operator it was among the first to get a license to operate. To provide its product the company provides internet cafes, leased lines, and dial-up connections. Connections are typically overcrowded however, and congestion is an acknowledged problem. EriTel controls the national gateway and created it in partnership with USAID. [cite web|url=http://www.usaid.gov/leland/eriindex.htm|title=Eritrea Country Page|accessdate=2006-10-17]

EriTel (landline operator)

EriTel assumed this infrastructure from the Postal and Telecommunications Authority once they were split into separate entities. The infrastructure that is used was laid during the Italian colonial period. It consists primarily of aging copper wire, though in the major urban centers, including Asmara, Massawa, and Keren, upgrades have been made to the switching systems.

References