Secretary Jacob Munondawafa speaks during the press briefing at
Courtyard Hotel while Chief Executive Dr. Mupanga Mwanakatwe listens
in Livingstone
The Zambia Telecommunication company (ZAMTEL) plans to increase Internet services in the rural areas of the country.
ZAMTEL chief executive officer Dr. Mupanga Mwanakatwe has explained that the company will introduce the broad band service in peri urban and rural areas to improve internet connectivity.
Dr Mwanakatwe was speaking at a media briefing held at court yard Hotel in Livingstone today.
He said Zamtel remains committed to the important role that technology plays in any given country adding that plans to roll out broad band services in rural areas are underway and will include creating a 400 high capacity site for 3G and 2G services .
Meanwhile, Zambia will be taking over the chairmanship of the Southern Africa Telecommunication Association next month which will be chaired by the ZAMTEL chief executive officer Dr Mupanga Mwanakatwe.
Meanwhile, the Southern Africa Telecommunication Association Executive Secretary Jacob Munodawafa said the association through its cooperating partners has invested in ICT which contributes to economic development.
He said ICT have played a major role in health, agriculture and education which should be encouraged.
And Dr. Mwanakatwe said he will use the chairmanship to highlight some of the challenges being faced in the telecommunications industry in the region.
The Southern Africa Telecommunications Association (SATA) was established in 1980 under a Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Treaty on Transport, Communications and Meteorology.
Secretary Jacob Munondawafa speaks during the press briefing at
Courtyard Hotel while Chief Executive Dr. Mupanga Mwanakatwe listens
in Livingstone
Meanwhile, ZAMTEL will invest US $ 4 million to upgrade its telecommunication infrastructure in Livingstone to prepare for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general assembly, chief executive officer Mupanga Mwanakatwe has said.
Mr Mwanakatwe said his company was planning to roll out the first ever 4G network in Livingstone to enable delegates to the UNWTO download their materials online at a fast speed.
He was speaking in Livingstone yesterday at Courtyard Hotel ahead of the forthcoming Southern Africa Telecommunication Association (SATA) conference.
Mr Mwanakatwe said that his company has since written to Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) to allow the telecommunication company to try the 4 G in Livingstone.
In telecommunications, 4G is the fourth generation of mobile phone mobile communication technology standards. It is a successor of the third generation (3G) standards.
A 4G system provides mobile ultra-broadband Internet access, for example to laptops with USB wireless modems, to smartphones, and to other mobile devices.
Dr Mwanakatwe, who is incoming SATA chairman, expressed hope that ZICTA would grant the licence to his firm.
He also said ZAMTEL was currently rolling out optic fibre network in various parts of Livingstone including around Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport to improve internet connectivity.
Speaking at the same briefing, SATA executive director Jacob Munodawafa called on the media to enlighten the people on major developments taking place in the telecommunication sector.
Mr Munodawafa said the upcoming SATA conference in Livingstone Zambia it would help delegates share experiences and best practices in the telecommunications sector.
Zamtel is 20 years behind.
20 years behind? your so generous! its 40 years
I didn’t know that there is an organization called SATA.
Welcome development, can’t wait to skype my Grandmother in Lukulu.
make Zed shine, but we need to timeflame for the broadband installation.
timeflame? kekekeke
Kekeke flame mulilo!
flame:P…Blyson kekekeke
Why the acronym SATA it will bring bad omens to the association., please chage it.
The acronym SATA has been around since 2000 so only a hopeless tribalistic idol worshiper like yourself and a lot more others of your type can think like that. SHAME…
Ok. Things are happening at Zamtel now. Let us wait and see. I can smell cheaper internet now.
this will help the zambia watchdog with coverage! Times have changed
Why not High for High (HH) performance in rural areas if ever there is such a thing?
Even if you connected the whole country, the question is “How many people would be able to afford to pay for the privilege?”. Bear in mind that Zambia has one of the most expensive internet connections in the World because we are charged for the amount of time you stay online, unless things have changed. In one of the courses I did for my degree, I learnt that Zambia has one of the lowest number of people per 1000 with access to a telephone line. On top of this, what is the average disposable income of the ordinary Zambian because this is what will determine how much money can channeled to luxuries such as the internet. I am not trying to be a prophet of doom but I would like to get the facts right before I start celebrating such experiments.
Spot on…take the example of EE which is the UK’s new most advanced digital communications company, with super-fast 4G mobile and fibre broadband services. Its tariffs deals and smartphone handsets are not the cheapest…it may be more appealing to commercial customers than individuals. I hope ZAMTEL is targeting the Hotel and Catering sector in Livingstone but the question is; do they really need it?
iconnect suxs when it comes to downloads; it’s ideal for people who don’t download stuff! infact it seems the problem is because it has many routes/stations to go through before reaching the internet distribution nodes.
Was using Zamtel until after tuesday. I’ll be switching back to zamtel, already missing it.
Good development
ZAMTEL have yet to get the hang of the intricacies a plain old telephone. I don’t know how they can handle the provision of internet access. Every time it starts raining, my mother’s land line stops working until the dry season comes around. It has been like that for several years.
How can you roll out a 4G technology specifically for the UNWTO…what happens after that event is over will that $4 million investment be worthwhile? I mean LTE and 4G phones are not cheap..it would have been better launching it in Lusaka or the Copper belt.
It seems everyone is planning for this event but nobody is thinking post UNWTO and putting in a long-term strategy.
@Jay Jay, Thats how development happens. You take advantage of such events to foster development in an area. let me give you an example of sports infrastructure; Countries host sport events because that helps (forces) them to develop their infrastructure. stadia are built and after the event those things still remain for future use.
Today we will have 4G in livingstone for the UNWTO, after that we will cross out one other area in Zambia with one of the fatest internet connection in the world. Lets stop this thing of limiting development to Lusaka and the copperbelt. I was disappointed to read comments condermning building of a stadium in Mongu, people asking how they are going to travel to Mongu to watch soccer, they have forgotten they travelled to SA to watch soccer, which is further?
If ZAMTEL was a private entity I can assure you that it would have chosen another area which is a profitable launch site with an assured ROI to Livingstone….another reason why most state public entities make losses – political strategy driving corporate strategy. New 4G equipment is a software defined, so when they upgrade a site to 4G… yes it provides Basic 2G, GPRS, EDGE, Basic 3G, HSxPA, HSPA+, DC-HSPA+, LTE (4G). The back haul is also upgraded to Gbit fibre, so you get the speeds that the air interface can support. For one to enjoy the full benefits of it you need a LTE or 4G Smartphone or device which could also be a revenue stream to cross sell devices by Zamtel.
Now you tell me which is a more profitable launch site the populous Copperbelt or Livingstone??
people enjoy terms or big words,internet has been improving each year in zambia regardless of these terms 2g,3g,4g what is needed in enough bandwidth.these terms wont take us anyway without looking at bandwidth.
we need to understand internet is imported and its expensive.
whether fiber is layed or 5g is introduced wont make a difference.
anyway am enjoying microlink internet seems to be the fastest so far.
Haha nice effort but ,Rwanda ,Kenya,S.Africa have a huge headstart and are far ahead trying to be ICT hubs.This playin catch up is what you get when have a govt which only cares for empty politricks
PHD! It’s a pity that Zambia has so many of your type. I’m sure these countries that you are lauding also started from somewhere before they reached where they are.
Mupanga, u need to get back to school and look at issues from economic point of view! U r failing to provide good services in urban area where u can amass fortunes for economic development n expect to develop the rural where money is scarce n expect the coy to tick? U must b a jocker! IF We want to grow as a nation economically, lets apply capitalist economic rules n then charity when we r comfortable. Yalawa Zamtel! THINK LIKE AN EDUCATED MAN U R. Yo papers r just for pretige n getting paid?H
The acronym SATA has around since 2000. So only a hopeless, tribalistic idol worshiper like yourself and others of your type can think like that. SHAME.