Pretoria: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Communication Technology on Tuesday visited Ongongo in the Opuwo Rural Constituency to assess the impact of Universal Service Fund (USF)-supported information and communication technology projects in the Kunene Region.
According to Namibia Press Agency, during the oversight visit, the committee inspected a USF-funded telecommunications tower operated by Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) before visiting Ongongo Primary School and Ongongo Clinic, which receive free Wi-Fi connectivity provided through a partnership between the Namibian Government and MTC.
General Manager at MTC, Ludwig Tjitandi said the telecommunications tower was commissioned last year under phase one of the USF project to improve connectivity in the area. 'The gap analysis looked at the existing coverage, government development objectives, population, and where the interventions will bring the best benefit to the community,' Tjitandi said.
He explained that the tower uses a point-to-point connection instead of satellite technology to improve reliability and service quality. In line with USF requirements, MTC provides free Wi-Fi connectivity to the school and clinic, while the tower also carries commercial traffic to ensure the sustainability of operations.
Responding to concerns over radiation from telecommunications infrastructure, Tjitandi said all MTC installations comply with internationally recognised safety standards and pose no danger to nearby communities. He further confirmed that the site is connected to the national electricity grid and is equipped with battery backup to maintain services during power outages. He added that MTC applies for one hectare of communal land for each tower site to accommodate future expansion where required.
The committee also heard that extending telecommunications services to some mountainous areas remains a challenge as many residents live along river lines behind mountains, making network coverage difficult. The oversight visit continues on Wednesday with an inspection of another USF-supported telecommunications site at Ehomba.