Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) has intensified its commitment to digital inclusion by launching a strategic rural network optimisation initiative following a comprehensive network audit in northern Namibia. The initiative, driven by MTC’s customer-centric commitment, aimed to gain firsthand insight into coverage gaps and service quality challenges in underserved and uncovered rural areas.
The audit, which covered more than 2,000 kilometres across Outapi, Oshakati, Rundu, and Katima Mulilo, forms part of MTC’s broader goal to improve connectivity and service delivery, particularly in areas where customer complaints regarding poor signal and inconsistent data access have been on the rise.
Led by MTC’s Chief Technology and Information Officer, Monica Nehemia, and conducted in collaboration with network partner Huawei, the field exercise focused on identifying infrastructural and technical shortcomings affecting quality of service. The assessment revealed that some towers in rural regions are not adequately positioned, emanating from historical infrastructure, with several sites featuring low antenna heights and limited access to 4G/LTE technology. In certain locations, mobile towers rely only on GSM or 3G configurations, and LTE signals were found to be servicing minimal ranges than prescribed, impacting performance. Furthermore, inconsistencies in power settings and antenna directions along key travel corridors also contributed to reduced service quality.
In response, MTC has unveiled the Buffalo Project, a targeted intervention named after the strength and resilience symbolised by the buffalo. This initiative will focus on improving elevation and coverage by increasing tower heights, relocating sites where necessary, upgrading rural areas with 4G LTE, and enhancing service reliability in underserved communities across the north. The project marks a bold step toward closing the digital divide and ensuring that rural communities benefit from the same quality of connectivity enjoyed in urban centres. Project Bufalo will further be extended to the other parts of the country, where similar challenges are experienced.
According to Nehemia, “the network audit and subsequent rollout of the Buffalo Project demonstrate MTC’s resolve to act on customer feedback and respond with practical solutions. Our customers rely on us not just for communication, but to access opportunities. When we receive feedback from people living in areas where towers exist, yet they still struggle with coverage, it becomes our duty to investigate and correct it. We are the country’s leading digital enabler, and this project reflects that responsibility”.
The Buffalo Project is aligned with MTC’s long-term network expansion ambitions after the successful deployment of the 081Every1 programme, which seeks to bring full population coverage to Namibia. While significant investment continues to be channeled into new technologies, Nehemia emphasised the importance of maintaining quality and consistency across the existing infrastructure as well.
MTC remains committed to transparent communication and will continue to provide updates as the Buffalo Project progresses, reinforcing its promise to ensure reliable, inclusive, and high-quality connectivity for all Namibians, regardless of geographic location.