The Communications Authority of Zambia (CAZ) has called on countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region to help create open regional markets that will have common application procedures for wireless systems.
CAZ Acting Chief Executive Officer Richard Mwanza, who observed that Africa has only 20 per cent wireless penetration, noted that it was for this reason that Africa needed to advance and deliver services on broadband to cater for everybody in the region.
Mr. Mwanza called on telecommunications regulators in the SADC region to have broadband installations approved within 12 months.
He was speaking yesterday at the on-going Communications Regulators Association of Southern Africa (CRASA) next generation Wireless Technologies Conference.
Mr. Mwanza said there was need to quickly review the regulations in the telecommunications sector so that more people could access the broadband.
He further urged regulators in the region to harmonize the spectrum and ensure that countries across the region use the same frequency bands.
Mr. Mwanza further called for the creation of open regional markets and common application procedures for wireless systems that will lead to the reduction of unnecessary barriers.
ZANIS/FM/KSH/ENDS
More people to access broadband?, how exactly is that going to improve people’s lives in Zambia? Will they eat broadband. To start with they are already enslaved by ‘talk time’ on thier cellphones. Mwanza look at what Zambia really needs.
Mr.Richard Mwanza, you are misplacing priorities. Improve/caution Zain deficient/incompetent services first.
Is this the same Communications Authority which was ‘wise’ enough to throw Voice-Over-IP (Internet-base-phone system) out of the window? The policies in Zed can make you bang your head against the wall!! We claim to reach out for middle-income status by 2025 but refuse to embrace new technology because we want to protect ZAMTEL. Hope you are reading Mr Mwanza. Let ZAMTEL compete as a commercial entity, Zambians can buy its shares on LuSE. VOIP will reduce the cost of business in our landlocked country.
Washingtonian usebenzela ku Capital Hill? You seem to know what you are talking about.
Washingtonian nizee. Can u imagine how expensive communication is in Zed? VOIP was going to make communication easier and cheaper for individuals and the business community in zed but alas our govt chickened out to protect our failing zamtel. I hope they realize that change is inevitably coming and that soon they have to dance to the tune of development and financing for the future
This sounds good , but why do we have to beg other countries, beg, beg all the time,
Why cant we lead for a change, so that others can follow. I know there a lot of Engineers in the country who are good with technology. But instead of using their expertise, we want the Chinese who cut corners in all the things they do , please lets try to use the local expertise.
we need almost everyone to have internet in zed.Don’t even waste time, internet is very important for everyone.How can u stop VOIP in da country?Really they are imbushi ruling the country.These imbushi are taking us backwards.That’s why we need new people who think about new technology.How can you live nowadays without VOIP?Iwe govt be serious.In fact the service should’ve have been provided by Zamtel
.I think we need new blood in da govt in order to improve
Sense though implementation leaves much to be desired. I will keep mu ear to the ground on this issue.