LAP Green Limited, the owner of Zamtel, is likely to connect over 6,000 households to broadband internet in Lusaka under the Next Generation Network (NGN) after the rollout plan for the town is completed next week.
The firm has so far invested US$23 million to roll out the NGN exchanges in the country and is expected to complete phase one of the roll-out plan in Lusaka next week.
A visit to the NGN exchanges showed they have been switched from analogue to digital.
In a continued quest to upgrade and modernise fixed line infrastructure across the country, Zamtel has embarked on phase one of decommissioning of all old analogue land line exchanges and replacing them with the NGN exchanges (Digital).
This change from analogue to digital exchanges will enable customers to get the benefits of additional features on their land lines such as fast and affordable broadband internet, audio and video conferencing as well as missed call notification, among other services.
Corporate communications senior manager Kennedy Mambwe said the NGN roll-out plan is advancing well and almost complete in Lusaka.
“We want to upgrade all infrastructure and make sure that every household can have broadband internet speed.
“We want to push internet penetration rates since they are significantly low and ensure that places with land line numbers starting with 22, 24, 25, 26, 28 and 29 numbers have access to the network,” he said.
Mr Mambwe said currently Woodlands, Ridgeway, Chinika, and Lusaka main areas can access the broadband technology.
He was speaking during a media tour of Zamtel in Lusaka yesterday.
Mr Mambwe said phase one will be completed in Lusaka by next week while the whole network will be finished by the end of February.
The firm has currently installed 96 sites in all the districts.
He said 450 sites will be installed in the next 30 months.
He said the new management is focusing on deploying significant investment in internet services.
On the Third Generation Network (3G), Mr Mambwe said the firm is currently deploying the 450 sites which will see the rural areas get connected to second generation (2G) while the urban areas will be connected to 3G.
He said part of the US$180 million investment will be used to roll out the 3G network.
Phase one migration is a build-up to a successful cutover pilot migration that was performed at the Woodlands exchange in Lusaka recently.
The phase started on December 17, 2010, lasting until January 20, 2011, and will see exchanges at Ridgeway, Chinika, Emmasdale and Lusaka Main overhauled and replaced with next generation technology.
Phase two of the project to install new and advanced NGN countrywide continues within the first quarter of 2011.
Zamtel plans to invest US$180 million in the next two years as part of the company’s restructuring programme.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Thats a move in the right direction. However we are always cautious and apprehensive because of the past culture at Zamtel. I remember of a switch/telephone exchange that was commissioned in 1988 but only had features sold to clients 2001/2002. i always wondered why but that was Zamtel for you.
okay.But did it need some external firm to do this? would we have failed as Zambians solely?
OK move in the right direction, #2 Zamtel failed to do this because it was stuffed with incompetent bulus from MMD who just reported for work to drink tea and knock off at 1’Oclock and yet still get paid. That is why I fully endorsed the privatisation of this thing whether done badly or not, at least it seems there is now light at the end of the tunnel for the communication industry.
And why 2G network in this age and even why 3G network? Whey can’t they just go straight to 4G? 2G and 3G are being phased out for the much faster 4G. If you don’t have cash at least give our rural people 3G as the minimum. 2G really sucks, that is as good as dialup.
those characters at zamtel are still there,and still not efficient,zedians need to change
Ba no2 naimwe. learn to appreciate sometimes. You are a poor country with no money and poor management skills. Your zamtel with the best telecom engineers failed and which zambians do you have in mind! thank the new guys for showing you poor things how to do things
you fools should thank Dora and RB
Good move, fix it before we grab it back.
@ #5. I dont agree that we are a poor country.We have competent People around and can do it by ourselves. Maybe on the poor management part can partially agree with u. Do I need a mwenye at KCM to produce copper? Nay! I cant thank any foreign investor,they are just here to exploit us and externalize the money.
Progressive thinking at least I will be able to skype my grandma in Lusaka…I hope it is extended to all parts of zambia in due course..
I hope customer service has improved .The attitude of zamtel workers towards customers has been very pathetic. As for internet this is good news coz internet services in zambia is very unreliable at the same time expensive. I hope it wont take a year 4 an application to have a line approved and service provided.
Where are the PF cadres?? You must be embarrassed for calling the Zamtel deal bogus am sure it is eating you to see normalcy slowly returning to Zamtel. Typical Zed politics of wanting to score mileage on things that are straight forward.
I think LT and ZWD are happy with this news. This is potentially 6,000 more hits for their site and this is election year so information is most likely in high demand (assumption, no stats to back up my statement).
This is a good development by ZAMTEL. The web provides a great wealth of information. It also provides a great deal of opportunity for those who are willing to look for it. Hopefully the cost of internet access will be greatly reduced. The prices are just ridiculous.
So what do Zambians use the internet for apart from reading The Post, commenting on LT, facebook and now reading Kachepa ayi? I hope they use it to find opportunities, research and even make menaingful online connections instead of just entertainment. Kudos to Zamtel! about time mwe
daTS GREAT NEWS FOR US ZAMBIAN,FINALLY DECENT INTERNET
Nice move by lapgreen…we need international standards..internet is simplifing lives and changing lifestyles..well done though the deal was done in a bogus manner.
Bana number 3 get the facts right NGN installations started way back before LAP Green took over. All they are doinig is to finish the projects that were started before privatisation. By July 2010 equipment in all the district for both GSM and PSTN (Landline) had been installed. What remained was finish up the work and commissioning which is being done now. It will also help you to know that the staff were not incopentent. funding by the share holder was eratic. workers hd to do with the available resources. Do not entirely blame the workers for the company’s short comings.
Yes the old workers are still their. Even if they bring in new people it wont help. Our families are suffering because not everyone was just drinking tea and knocking off at 13 hours.Right now when your land line stops working its taking them 2 weeks to repair the phones. Our business are suffering and they keep on giving as excuses. The top people are the only one who benefited in the sale. Its not the workers who made it go down government institutions could not pay the bills and every time elections came they had to get money from that side. That is why they have increased the taxes so that they can have money for elections. Roads are bad they keep on increasing taxes where does this money go.
Good move we need to be updated with tech so that MMD can be exposed and we can reach our PF and UPND memebers nicely .Spread the mgs .We salute you LAP green limited.
I cant believe you dont hav broadband zambia?
very backwards.
Thanks
its because of MMD boss serious ba number 18.MMD has cost us
Mushota # 18.As long as you are a blackman you are an African sang Peter Tosh. You can go anywhere,have a Lavish life, but your roots are here.dont pride in other peoples efforts. Get back home and help develop our country. Very backwards??? You can eve say that for sure?? Its because of selfish people like you.I suppose you found yourself there at the expense of poor zambian tax payers when the Govt sponsored you abroad and you chose not to return.Hypocrite.
righteous move!!!…with broadband comes greater responsibility…imagine how fast it ‘ll be to stream PORNO. otherwise use it for the development of the nation.
Good move, this company was grossly mismanaged by its previous management. While it had potential to outsmart competitors and expand as a company, management lamentably failed to maximise its competitive advantage. There was no innovation watsoever and its bloated structure was so costly. Atleast now yu can have something to tok about now that rubbish which was obtaining then. PEACE!!!
well done Zamtel Dora Plc, these Zain clowns have been taking us for a ride for a long time !
This Mushota girl needs to shut up and get a life. Have you only recently arrived in the UK? I have been living in London since 1996, and as a child lived in Kettering for a few years. One thing I have never done is put my country down or it’s people. I read about the development in my motherland and this makes me proud to be Zambian because we are moving in the right direction, and this is why I’m even thinking of moving back. My Cantonese (from Hong Kong) wife also loves Zambia, especially inshima, when family cooks it. This is because I always talk about my country. We were last in Zambia for a year up to 2005.
You seem to me as someone with a very low self esteem. I’ve seen and met girls like you who come here and get with the first muzungu they see, just cause they’re white.
Well said Mr Kaz, you are the man of the day
Does LT randomly link flags to posts? Is this to make us feel they really have a worldwide audience?
I’m in England not Canada.
No zamtel failed because it was a parastatal.
Mushota mwaice, you seem to have a serious inferiority complex, hence your preference for white dick! Mwaiche, ukese inka kupope with my chi big pipe schlong; you’ll limp for a week and shut your trap for good. You remind me of Michael Jackson, a once handsome young man who sadly had a severe inferiority complex, he turned himself into a ‘white’ monster!
Good move, I hope the costs of having broadband will also come down. I agree with #3, 3G should be the minimum not 2G. As a new progressive company, they should be talking about 4G. But this is a good start, definately better than dial up!
The benefits will not be selective, PF, UPND, MMD will all benefit. Sata, HH, TIZ, Kabimba, Post and their kaponyas who were the vocal opponents will repa benefits as much as Dora their victim.
Vision bane, you must have vision to see beyond 90 days.
Good move. The issue is Zamtel doing better when privitized is simple, government (GRZ) are poor at paying their bills so when the company was a parastatal they never used to pay now when they sell these companies they have no choice. look at ZESCO and other paraststal!! we can make our companies if only our government decides to support and pay their bills. this trend has been going on for forever!!
#25 Big thanks.Mushota’s self destruction is guaranteed.Never met you but you can independently prove this universal rule in UK.Those closer to your socioeconomic status shout louder & often of the “big” gap btn you.It true in UK,Zed & USA.Its has always been poorer citizens here who have shown that Mushota type better than thou attitude and the richer don’t as they have better things to do.I’ve also seen famous/rich movie stars,Bill Gates and the like humbly mix with sick,poor refugees which proves its how you treat the “little people” that determines your status in life.Mushota looks at zed and never misses to show that better than thou attitude.It is how you treat the “little pipo” that shows who you are.
Barotseman my brotha, Mushota is a spoilt, attention seeking little brat! Infact, the more we discuss her, the more we feed her narcissistic personality. Going forward, I will ignore the little c-unt!
zamtel will be using the fibre ntework that is already being used by the other isp`s, their speeds will only be from the client to their first network device then ounce the traffic enters our very fast fibre network (sarcasim) we shall see where that 23million USD has gone to!!! what is needed is more freedom for companies to operatein the communications sector …and do not get me wrong i am not saying there should not be any form of regulation!