Potraz forces mobile firms to share infrastructure

THE Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe has made it compulsory for the mobile network providers to share infrastructure as a prerequisite of the renewal of their operating licences next year.

The regulatory authority's director-general, Engineer Charles Sibanda, said the new laws would come into force soon without mentioning the dates.

This follows last month's warning of a clampdown Potraz gave to mobile phone operators offering shoddy services to clients.

"What is now left is the announcement by the policy-maker (Parliament) and hopefully the announcement will be made soon," said Engineer Sibanda.

He said the new changes in the licensing regime included compulsory infrastructure sharing for telecom operators and adoption of sophisticated technologies to enhance communication.

Mobile networks in the country are not sharing their infrastructure resulting in  them building base stations on the same site instead of sharing one.

Mobile phone operators Econet Wireless, NetOne and Telecel Zimbabwe are due to renew their operating licences next year and would be required to comply with the new laws.

The new development came on the heels of a warning by Potraz for mobile phone operators to improve their services or risk being fined.

Potraz networks and standards manager Mr Nicholas Muzhuzha last month said his organisation had started acquiring surveillance equipment to monitor mobile phone providers operating in the country.

"We are not happy with the quality of service. Last year we commissioned a consultant to carry out measurements on the quality of service being offered by the network providers and since this is a first measurement, we will not penalise any of them, but rather we gave them time to rectify before we carry out a second assessment," said Mr Muzhuzha.

"In this light, we are now in the process of acquiring our own machines so that we do not rely on a consultant," he said.

NetOne, Econet Wireless and Telecel Zimbabwe have a combined subscriber base of over nine million people.

"The quality of service will be customer-centric. Customers have been complaining about the long time it takes for 'sms' messages to be delivered, voice quality and call drops and also cross lines which are unacceptable considering the high tariffs being charged by the service providers," said Mr  Muzhuzha.

Mr Muzhuzha was among delegates attending the eighth annual general meeting of the Association of Regulators of Information and Communication for Eastern and Southern Africa in Victoria Falls recently.