The Consumer Unity Trust Society has appealed to Government to allow the entry of another mobile phone service provider.
CUTS Lusaka Centre Assistant Programmes Officer Faith Mwamba observed that bringing another mobile service provider would create jobs and enhance efficiency in the sector.
Zambia only has three mobile service providers namely Airtel, ZAMTEL and MTN with a mobile phone penetration of around 74 percent, according to the Ministry of Finance’s annual economic report of 2013.
Ms Mwamba said currently the quality of service provision by the three mobile service providers leaves much to be desired.
She said the Zambian government will also realize benefits through direct and indirect taxes which the new firm would be remitting.
Ms Mwamba was speaking Wednesday evening when she featured on Mid Week Business radio programme on Hot FM discussing the impact of competition in business reform in Zambia.
And Mwamba has urged the Zambian Government to create an enabling business environment by easing the business licensing framework.
‘Following the liberalisation of the economy, it was observed that the business environment was very restrictive and unfriendly and Government undertook reforms in the business licensing framework as a way of easing the cost of business and enhancing investment,’ Ms. Mwamba said.
The Statutory Instrument No. 111 restring entry into the mobile phone sector expired some time and Government is yet to make a position on the matter.
The problem is that the share holders in the existing services are the same ones to decide on allowing for another one
Da move is welcome so as 2 increase communication market.Of late comms hz become very xpensive especially with the emerging of advanced smartphone which need exorbitant air power to run smoothly.
This move is long over due, the only problem in allowing another cellphone service provider like vodacom which has excellent service and relatively cheap is the fear by these three companies operating in the country to lose market and be out of business. So each time vodacom applies for a licence to come into the country, the CEOs of these three companies give side kicks to ZICTA and govt officials to make sure that vodacom should never be allowed to operate in Zambia. I once worked in the DRC in 2010 and I can tell you fellow zambians that vodacom is very efficient and very cheap and not these useless services we are subjected to by these fake mobile providers we have here in zambia.
As at now, no need of another cell company in Zed. The population of cellphone users equals to the available resources as long as the they stay competitive whilst providing quality service.