Rural telecommunications in a third world country

This paper looks at the problems encountered in a typical West African country and concludes that the UN intention of ensuring that everyone on the globe is within easy access of a telephone will be very difficult if not most improbable to achieve. The main aim of the paper is to bring the reader `down to earth´ by outlining the very real day-to-day problems faced by telecommunication administrations of emerging nations. British Teleconsult is part of British Telecom Overseas Division and provides consultancy services to foreign administrations. This paper looks at one particular country, Sierra Leone, where operational experience has been built up over at least 5 years