Another qualitative leap from Camtel to consolidate its network infrastructure. After the agreement to hand over the 812 km of optical fiber, initially belonging to Eneo Cameroon (signed on Monday May 30, 2023 with Minette Libom Li Likeng, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications), Camtel has just signed, on June 19, 2024, a framework agreement with Cameroon Water Utilities Corporaton (Camwater). Infrastructure sharing between Camtel and its new partner, Camwater, aims to pool infrastructure between hydraulics and telecommunications. This partnership should benefit both parties. Judith Yah Sunday, CEO of Camtel, also speaks of a “win-win” partnership.
As an advantage for its company (Camtel), the partnership will help resolve the problem of vandalism of its infrastructure. And this, to improve Camtel’s quality of service. In addition, the signing comes at a time when the historic telecommunications operator is preparing to launch the extension of its national fiber optic backbone network through the BB4 project, as clearly indicated to Camtel CEO, Judith Yah. Sunday.
“ It goes without saying that sharing infrastructure with Camwater is one of the proven solutions for the security and stability of our network. Thus, in the large cities of Douala and Yaoundé, the use of Camwater pipes and pipelines can make it possible to secure the metropolitan loops of each of these localities […] Our combined views on the cities of Douala and Yaoundé discover an extension dizzying pace of these two metropolises with a multiplicity of new neighborhoods, buildings and villas. These are the potentialities that appeal to both Camtel and Camwater, each in its own right. These are also favorable opportunities for sharing infrastructure and reducing costs. We must respond favorably to this call, because this type of pooling is increasingly becoming a model around the world,” she said.
A statement appreciated by the CEO of Camwater, Blaise Moussa, who was even borderline rave about his host. Finding that his counterpart’s words perfectly outlined the contours of the partnership. To the point of qualifying it as a master class. Blaise Moussa requested that DG Judith Yah Sunday’s speech be published on the Camwater website, due to its relevance.
On the Camwater side, it is an opportunity to exploit civil engineering, which will lay the necessary piping to supply certain localities with drinking water. And this, to the great happiness of the populations, according to DG Blaise Moussa
“These are public networks that operate to satisfy populations. So why not make economies of scale, why not be able to optimize everything that goes into our various assets so that the public service of both drinking water and telecommunications is mutually beneficial to the populations. This is the goal of this convention, so that there is convergence and coherence in our interventions and that we can collaborate in the sense that this should allow us to have a better understanding when we “We want to produce public service construction elements ,” he said.
“Camtel and Camwater, for Judith Yah Sunday , could now mutually rely on their extension work to extend their respective networks in urban and peri-urban areas. And what about the use of the water distribution network to serve Camtel’s FTTH subscribers. This approach has the advantage of securing the fiber by protecting it against acts of vandalism, which would reduce disruptions and improve quality of service .
Camtel remains committed to expanding its network throughout Cameroon. The company resolves to install 3,500 km of additional optical fiber from 2024. For the moment, the length is estimated at some 15,812 km. This will help strengthen its telecommunications infrastructure, expand its broadband network and facilitate internet access.
