ZICTA has clarified that it has not issued any licence to Mobile Broadband Zambia Limited trading as Vodafone Zambia to offer voice services in the country.
In a statement, ZICTA Head of Public Relations Ngabo Nankonde explained that the firm’s licence is restricted to internet services only.
“In light of the rising speculation from the general public and other stakeholders, as evidenced by the numerous enquires that the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) has been receiving recently, the Authority wishes to dispel the perception that Mobile Broadband Zambia Limited Trading as “Vodafone Zambia “is entering the market as a voice provider,” Mrs Nankonde said.
She said ZICTA wishes to reassure members of the public that it has not issued a licence permitting any entity other than MTN, Airtel and Zamtel to provide voice services to the public.
“Such a licence is an individual licence which, under the current licensing framework, is issued through a competitive process,” she said.
She added, “Mobile Broadband Zambia Limited currently only holds the following licenses: 1. A class Network (wireless internet) licence; and 2. A class Service (internet) licence.”
Mrs Nankonde said these licenses only enable Mobile Broadband Zambia Limited to construct a data network and to provide data services to the Public.
She stressed that Mobile Broadband Zambia Limited is therefore not allowed under the said licences to provide voice services.
“Mobile Broadband Zambia Limited’s scope of operations and service offering are therefore strictly limited to the provision of mobile data services and not voice services.”
She said Mobile Broadband Zambia was assigned a Mobile Network Code (MNC) for network identification and to facilitate their service offering, but has Not been assigned any subscriber numbers by ZICTA.
Mrs Nankonde added that Mobile Broadband Zambia Limited trading as “Vodafone Zambia must not be confused to be “Vodacom” which currently has no licences to operate in Zambia.
“We once again wish to reiterate that Mobile Broadband Zambia Limited, is only permitted to provide retail data services to the Zambian market and Mobile Broadband Zambia Limited trading as “Vodafone Zambia “has been directed to ensure that this must be unequivocally reflected in all aspects of its operations including branding and corporate communications.”
This week, the Vodafone Group announced that it will launch its high-speed mobile data services in Zambia jointly with unlisted telecoms provider Afrimax, tapping growing demand for data-heavy services on the continent.
The companies plan to provide high-speed 4G data services under the Vodafone Zambia brand and will also open retail stores across Zambia.
You have given them a Mobile Network Code (MNC) and expect them not to offer voice services? This means they can offer VOIP. You must be thinking Zambians are daft kids. Other interested parties say they have been denied the same MNC until frustrated and killing their investment appetite. What justified the issuing of MNC to this company anyways? Guys you don’t even fear the consequences of such crookedness sure?
Their internet is really fast………faster than MTN, AIRTEL AND ZAMTEL.
How will they make profits if they are restricted to data only? will their services be affordable to most of zambians?
As UPND we will allow them so that call become cheap
I wouldn’t mind even if there were offered Voice Services, I love Vodafone! ??????
Haha! Nowadays you cannot easily differentiate voice from data lines. Poor ZICTA. Take my TV experience now via Apple TV. What do you say about that? I call my friends on a data line when we both share the same type of phone (and that promises to become ubiquitous) so I no longer rush for airtime for my constant calls. Eish! Ease up, ZICTA. You are locking a door of a room without walls!!!!
@Kalok thats the way to go! We started talking about VoIP years ago!
“ZICTA wishes to reassure members of the public that it has not issued a licence permitting any entity other than MTN, Airtel and Zamtel to provide voice services to the public.”
Reassure. Really? What we have now with the two real companies and Zamtel is so awful why should the public need “reassurance” that ZICTA is preventing a fourth company from competing for our business? Truly, this sounds more like a threat from ZICTA than any kind of assurance (…let alone reassurance)!
Govt officials and cartels by airtel and mtn at play
I have never seen a country as backward as Zambia. ZICTA are defending monopolies that place the consumer at a disadvantage. I wonder what CCPC does because they should be fighting ZICTA as they would have the moral high ground. This woman is making utterances supporting monopoly without shame. I think it is clear that Zambia will only change when our generation takes over all agencies, government and otherwise.
The cartel wont allow it!
What a dull PRO this is in a free market you are saying u have placed restrictions second how will u monitor what you have authorized since the doors a wide open as you look through the window we know MTN and Airtel want to fight their competitor so stop talking hogwash and remain ziii
Zambians need to wake up these network providers steal from you even when your phone is off yet you are on Pay as you go…just like the banks charge you for a basic account…these authorities are useless and dont surprised to note that they recieve free minutes.
why use vodacom logo?
They own vodacom.
ZICTA, YOU ARE THE SAME TYPE OF ORGANIZATIONS ENCOURAGING EXPLOITATION OF ZAMBIAN PEOPLE BY REFUSING THEM THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHAT IS GOOD FOR THEM. BEFORE THE COMING OF DANGOTE IN PEOPLE WERE BUYING CEMENT AT OVER K90, NOW PEOPLE ARE BUYING CEMENT AT LESS THAN K50. ENCOURAGE COMPETITION SO THAT NETWORK PROVIDERS OFFERS QUALITY SERVICES
lest start a petition
am the first one to submit my signature for petition.
Give them a license for voice its a free market economy and think people in power enjoy Zambians not having cheap services as these i agree with St. Sweet Anus
Why not allow them to offer voice services are we still in a restrictive type of environment current mobile operators are exploiting us why not open up the market.ZICTA an answer is needed
Chundu is right. These ZICTA guys tend to act or behave as if they have never been to school. Believe me this is the fourth mobile service provider. Once they start providing data services what will stop them from applying for the voice license because the infrastructure will be already in place and more over you can talk on data. Watch the space!!!
Give them the voice license so that more jobs are created and cheaper calls for the already exploited Zambian masses.
Corrupt PF minions,and what you think will stop the mighty Vodafone from applying for a voice service when there business in Zambia does well.Just say that you are corrupt and were paid to allow Vodacom in cos clearly the other Mobile Operators in Zambia wouldnt ve allowed such madness.To ve 4mobile phone operators with a population of 14million people?Who does that?Only PF corrupt embeciles,Am sure of the 23million Lungu acquired Vodafone also contributed their share.
Just open Vodacom to every service in the land, so we can enjoy ala!
It looks like they expected Zambians will ‘extremely worried’ to have a fourth mobile provider, when in fact ZICTA should expect any sane Zambian to welcome a fourth provider. ZICTA last time took all 3 to court for poor service (God knows what happened to that lawsuit) so you would expect them to allow a new player to stiffen competition thereby forcing the current ones to up their game and clean their stinky act!
ZICTA should look to protect consumers and not collude with the likes of Airtel and MTN and PF!
Yes guys lets start a petition
We the next generation.
true, ZCTA must come out in the open to clearly state the reasons why they’ve limited vodafone to internet service provision. Because its clear that from the economic point of view if vodafone is allowed to provide all their services voice calling inclusive, this will enhance competition ceteris paribas we expect an increase in the quality of service provision at a relatively lower price. Further this will create employment and ultimately improve the welfare of the general public.
just a food for thought, As we all know as at present almost all persons in our country have access to voice calls and for the ordinary Zambian – its the primal reason for having a phone. Therefore if the larger part of the population is to enjoy the services provided by vodafone let them be allowed or they…
Why is it that ZICTA is giving limited services to Vodafone.
As consumers of this service we want ZICTA to give a full licence to Vodafone so that it can enhance good competition & efficiency to all network providers, The three existing networks in Zambia are in full of playing gumbling games i.e is you buy airtime for bonus it is restricted with time frame.why ZICTA can’t control this.
All gumbling massages being sent all day just to swindle someone who is earning peanuts(No Control From ZICTA.So what is ZICTA Doing?Somewhere ZICTA has played lawlessness.
To cut the story short MTN, ZAMTEL & AIRTEL should improve their services. they are pathetic-Improve Improve Please!!!!!!
Bring Vodafone in Zambia.
We can’t Wait Vodafone for you Better Services
Reassurance?!!Is denying us access to cheaper means in our best interest as the public?!!Okay that restriction must be explained in the best interest of consumers…So why restrict them?
If you have good quality of internet then VOIP is uncontrollable. It will be great then normal people can use VOIP services for their loved one who are abroad.
I love vodafone’s internet, all my appliances are connected to 1 Mi Fi. it was impossible to have internet before, and if i could get it, i had to spend house rental money just to have access to internet. I think there’s a conspiracy why zicta won’t do the right thing for the majority Zambians, if not all; and let us have access to cheap quality things like giving voda full licences so that we can call at cheaper rates. Its a shame they exploit us like we don’t belong and have no right to sanity, why is everything in our homeland is about straggling? Our country looks like a village, when you travel to other countries, just see how they have advanced. I wonder why they block development, is it because they have to strategically provide for the same old bellies at the expense of our…