Digital is one of the pillars of socio-economic development in Zambia by 2030. The government wants to strengthen the telecom infrastructure to improve digital services in the country. The Zambian Ministry of Science and Technology has signed a memorandum of understanding with technology company Liquid Telecommunications (Jersey) Limited. The latter will notably have to build a...
Mobile subscriptions in Zambia declined marginally in 2022, the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) has reported. According to the regulator at the end of 2022 there were a total of 19.8 million mobile subscriptions in the country, down from 20.2 million a year earlier, with the decline mainly attributable to ‘the significant number...
Paratus Zambia has acquired what it claims is the last available data gateway license in Zambia, which means it – along with five other data gateway licensees – holds exclusive rights to import and export internet data capacity. Paratus points out that this service was previously limited to mobile network and carrier providers only. Only...
Consumer rights organisations in Zambia and Zimbabwe are mounting pressure on authorities to minimise power outages, which they say are disrupting telecommunications services in some areas. Zimbabwe and Zambia are experiencing electricity shortages, resulting in imposed power blackouts. Low water levels, which is used for electricity generation, and planned maintenance have caused the electricity shortfall....
Amid increasing competition among service providers in Zambia’s mobile communications space, Airtel Zambia has confirmed the roll out of 138 new 4G sites nationally to improve network accessibility. Airtel Zambia said it will continue to invest in network expansion and distribution, and it plans to launch its own 5G, although no exact time frame has...
The Zambian Government has announced that they have been working towards the prospect of strengthening the bonds between Fintechs and Mobile Network Operators. This is going to be done with a focus on phasing out the scratch card airtime purchases and giving more focus to digital transactions. Digitised distribution channels reduce the costs incurred by...
Zambia’s fourth mobile network operator Beeline telecom, trading as Zedmobile, has officially launched. Once fully operational, the company plans to invest US$400-million and create 450 direct jobs. Speaking at the launch held recently in Lusaka, Science and Technology Minister Felix Mutati urged Zedmobile to “roll out robust and effective mobile data and voice services” and...
The Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) has disclosed that the country’s fourth mobile network operator Beeline Telecom will launch commercial LTE-based services by the end of January 2023, Broadcast Media Africa reports. ZICTA Manager of Legal and Regulatory Affairs Banji Michelo was quoted as saying: ‘We granted an extension [from the previous launch target date of...
Zambia’s fourth mobile phone network operator Beeline Telecom will launch operations in January 2023, according to the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA). ZICTA affirmed that the telco has the financial muscle to launch operations and increase competition within the local telecommunications industry. Beeline Telecom was supposed to launch operations In June, six months...
Zambia’s government plans to achieve 100% national network coverage by the end of 2024. Science and Technology Minister Felix Mutati said the government is working closely with MTN Zambia, Airtel Networks Zambia and state-owned Zamtel in order to achieve this. The Minister added that the government will leverage over US$41-million generated from the recent auctioning...
