Telecel Zimbabwe targeting a 60 percent growth in subscribers

TELECEL Zimbabwe is targeting 60 percent growth in subscribers this year in line with its planned US$70 million network expansion and upgrade programme. But newly appointed managing director Mr John Swaim said the emphasis was on the value capacity expansion and network upgrade.

Mr Swaim was speaking at a Press briefing to officially announce the rebranding of Telecel's corporate colours from blue to red and white.

This follows the coming in of global mobile group Vimpelcom, which acquired Telecel Zimbabwe's parent firm, Egyptian telecommunications giant Orascom, which owns Telecel International.

The country's second largest mobile phone operator will this year establish upwards of 300 new base stations across the country.

Mr Swaim said the expansion would also target capacity upgrades as the mobile phone operator mulls new value added products and services.

Capacity expansion and upgrade will allow Telecel to spread its footprint across the country with current focus on unconnected areas.

Further, the company will seek to entrench its 3G efficiency and coverage as it intensifies provision of voice and data services.

Currently, just about 50 percent of Telecel's network has efficient high speed processing capacity for 3G-related data services.

"What we are going to spend is equally important as what you (customers) are going to get out of the (expenditure)," said Mr Swaim.

He pointed out that Zimbabwe presented an exciting prospect for business in telecommunications with its high literacy rate.

Said Telecel marketing director Mr Obert Mandimika: "We intend to increase subscribers by 60 percent. We are looking at 85 percent coverage of the whole country," said Mr Mandimika.

Mr Mandimika said the rebranding of Telecel follows the rebranding of other operations in the Orascom African operations.

He said the new look was not just change in colours, but represented change in the way the company operates. He said it demonstrated Telecel's commitment on investing in Zimba- bwe.

"It is about making a statement on our future in this market and we feel we will approach it to ensure that this country holds its own . . . against regional and international operators," he said.

He said the mobile firm would in the next few weeks "launch new services that are both relevant and value adding to our customers".

The second largest mobile operator in Zimbabwe after Econet Wireless, Telecel now wears a red colour and uses a "t" logo in white or red background.