Opinion / Columnist
Starlink to Boost Zimbabwe's Digital Economy
27 May 2024 at 16:30hrs | Views
In a welcome move on Africa Day, President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced the approval of Starlink's licensing by Potraz, a development that is set to significantly enhance Zimbabwe's digital economy.
Starlink will partner with local telecommunications firm IMC Communications (Pvt) Ltd to roll out its satellite internet service. Additionally, Liquid Intelligent Technologies has signed a distribution partnership agreement with global satellite provider Eutelsat OneWeb to offer satellite-based internet connectivity.
Zimbabweans, who have long suffered from expensive, unreliable, and slow broadband internet services, have welcomed the licensing of Starlink and Eutelsat OneWeb. The entry of Starlink into Zimbabwe's digital telecommunications space is expected to result in the deployment of high-speed, low-cost, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) internet infrastructure across the country, particularly in marginalized rural areas. This development is set to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas.
The government's computerization program for rural schools, currently underway through the Ministry of Information Communication Technologies and Courier Services, will be significantly enhanced by the introduction of Starlink. This aligns with the Second Republic's mantra of leaving no place and no one behind.
While some anti-progress and anti-government activists have inexplicably changed their stance and are now criticizing the President for approving Starlink's licensing, well-meaning Zimbabweans have embraced this positive development. The partnerships between local companies and global satellite internet providers are a step in the right direction towards achieving Vision 2030, where technology and big data drive accelerated development.
Starlink will partner with local telecommunications firm IMC Communications (Pvt) Ltd to roll out its satellite internet service. Additionally, Liquid Intelligent Technologies has signed a distribution partnership agreement with global satellite provider Eutelsat OneWeb to offer satellite-based internet connectivity.
Zimbabweans, who have long suffered from expensive, unreliable, and slow broadband internet services, have welcomed the licensing of Starlink and Eutelsat OneWeb. The entry of Starlink into Zimbabwe's digital telecommunications space is expected to result in the deployment of high-speed, low-cost, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) internet infrastructure across the country, particularly in marginalized rural areas. This development is set to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas.
While some anti-progress and anti-government activists have inexplicably changed their stance and are now criticizing the President for approving Starlink's licensing, well-meaning Zimbabweans have embraced this positive development. The partnerships between local companies and global satellite internet providers are a step in the right direction towards achieving Vision 2030, where technology and big data drive accelerated development.
Source - Tonderai Ndoro
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