Chinese telecom firms Huawei Technologies and ZTE scored a US$1.6 billion 4G and 3G deal in the African country of Ethiopia.

According to reports, both companies will be aiding the country's mobile phone infrastructure to allow Ethiopians access to the 4G broadband network. The network was said to be headquartered in the capital city of Addis Ababa. Across the country, 3G services were planned to be set up as part of the same deal.

According to the country's deputy prime minister, the government was targeting 40 million users. However, with 3G included, the target expanded to over 56 million by the year 2015, said Debretsion Gebremichael, minister of communications and technology of Ethiopia.

Huawei Technologies inked the partnership with the Ethiopian government yesterday. ZTE is yet to sign the deal with the country next week.

The only mobile operator in Ethiopia is Ethio Telecom, which services over 80 million customers.