By Owen Mandovha
THE local telecommunications sector will soon witness the entrance of new players in a move expected to harness competition, lower tariffs and improve service delivery.
This comes after the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) licenced a host of new telecommunications companies known as mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs).
In an interview with ZBC News this Monday, POTRAZ Director General, Dr Gift Machengete explained that the new players will ride on the spectrum of the existing three traditional mobile network operators, a move expected to lower tariffs, improve service delivery and promote competition.
“We have licenced several firms who are going to ride on the infrastructure and spectrum of the three mobile operators. These companies are called mobile virtual network operators and we are not going to allocate them any extra spectrum but will utilise that for others. The good thing is that we are going to witness improved service delivery and competition which will benefit the subscribers,” said Dr Machengete.
One of the new firms is Dolphin Telecommunications and its managing director, Nyasha Charumbira has vowed to transform the telecommunications space.
“Dolphin Telecoms is a game changer in the telecommunication space and we are prepared to improve service delivery once we launch by offering affordable tariffs,” he said.
The emergence of mobile virtual network operators is a growing phenomenon in many telecommunications jurisdictions across the world due to the limited spectrum to accommodate traditional mobile network operators.
The new companies will also share the already existing infrastructure of the three mobile telecommunications giants.
