Zambia is seeking bidders for a fourth mobile-network license to take on operators including market leader MTN Group Ltd, Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba said.
Mr Mushimba said in a recorded response to questions on Monday that the Ministry last week gave the go-ahead to the telecommunications regulator to start the process.
Mr Mushimba said the new carrier could be in place over the next six to 12 months and the country may even have capacity for a fifth operator.
The local unit of India’s Bharti Airtel Ltd and state-owned Zamtel make up the current trio.
Mr Mushimba said communication costs in Zambia have been “rather on the high side,”.
“The market analysis that we have done supports the fact that we can have a fourth licensee and possibly a fifth and still the market will be profitable.”
Zambia with a population of more than 16 million, had 12.4 million active mobile subscribers at the end of June, 10 percent more than a year before, according to data from the finance ministry.
The country had 5.9 million internet users by the end of June, a 3 percent rise from the figure at the end of December.
Almost all of these use mobile internet.
The highest briber will get the deal.
Mushindo is broke!? He didn’t get enough from exaggerated “digital migration”.
Those bids will land him in jail. He is not protected enough compared to Kapyongo. 3 vehicle bribes is not worth it.
We would have had a sizeable choice of mobile service providers if the leadership of the country in that era had not succumbed to irresistible gifts offered by one of the service providers who wanted a monopoly when this facility was setting up Zambia.
What is the use when these so called investors are allowed to exploit us and there is no privacy at all.
At one time a sim card cost 75$ in Zambia but now 1$
It is supposed to be free and provided by the service provider….
This guy again…my god he will be the richest Zambian by Xmas!!
Selling spectrum is beyond kapoyongo, chitotela and the other theives……you won’t see many of them loitering around this deal…..
But the current network providers are way expensive especially on data. Please when these guys are coming give them conditions that will benefit the Zambian community. Education nowadays is online and if data charges are high how do you except people to be educated. Or you’re still using wako ni wako slogan to benefit your families.
But the current network providers are way Too expensive especially on data. Please when these guys are coming give them conditions that will benefit the Zambian community. Education nowadays is online and if data charges are high how do you except people to be educated. Or you’re still using wako ni wako slogan to benefit your families.
If they reduce the bureaucratic process of acquiring the licenses, costs to enter and actually invest themselves we may get cheaper data! It’s cheaper in Zimbabwe and even Somalia to have data!
Comment:
Data is far too expensive in Zambia. A clear rip off is the name. In Tanzania highspeed unlimited data for 24 hours costs less than five kwacha equivalent. And Airtel is one of thé providers in that country.
Yes! In Tanzania we are enjoying data very well its very cheap than to make a call, u can buy 1GB for 1$
most of these companies with poor service, you will notice that it all begins with the recruitment process.
most of these employees both in public and private institutions are hand picked from home via sham interview processes. How do you expect someone who got a job via s*x interviews to perform later on be friendly.
How does someone who got a job dubiously be hard working. no way tha’ts one of the reasons why we companies lack customer service.