Source: Econet invests US$200mln to expand network capacity – herald
Business Reporter
Econet Wireless Zimbabwe is investing more than US$200 million to expand network capacity, enhance service quality and reduce disruptions caused by persistent power challenges.
The investment comes as rapidly rising demand for mobile data continues to place increasing pressure on telecommunications infrastructure, driven by growing smartphone adoption, video streaming, digital services and greater reliance on mobile connectivity.
Econet Group Chief Executive Officer Dr Douglas Mboweni said the company’s immediate priorities are to expand network capacity and strengthen infrastructure resilience to ensure customers continue to enjoy a more reliable and consistent connectivity experience.
“Every year, our customers are consuming significantly more data than the year before. Staying ahead of this growth requires continuous investment in network capacity, smarter technologies and infrastructure that can withstand the challenges of a rapidly evolving digital environment,” said Dr Mboweni.
Econet operates more than 7 000 base stations across Zimbabwe, supporting 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G technologies. Dr Mboweni said the company is progressively retiring legacy 2G and 3G networks and reallocating spectrum to 4G and 5G services to increase capacity, improve speeds and enhance the overall customer experience.
The migration to newer technologies is, however, being affected by the continued use of older handsets, particularly among rural communities, where millions of subscribers are unable to access the full benefits of modern digital services.
“We have more than three million subscribers whose handsets are too old to support many of today’s digital services. If you are using a 2G or 3G device, high-bandwidth applications such as TikTok and YouTube will either not work or will deliver a poor experience,” said Dr Mboweni.
“That is a device limitation, not a network limitation. We are therefore working on initiatives to make new smartphones more affordable, so that more Zimbabweans can upgrade and fully benefit from the capabilities of the current technologies we offer.”
At the same time, unreliable electricity supply remains one of the biggest challenges contributing to network disruptions, prompting Econet to accelerate investment in alternative energy solutions.
The company is constructing a solar power station at Econet Tech City to supply its Harare operations with renewable energy. It is also deploying an artificial intelligence-based energy management system to monitor and optimise power usage across its network, with the goal of reducing power-related faults by up to 50 percent by the end of the year.
“We have made significant progress in a very short space of time, and we are already seeing the impact. By December, customers should experience a network with significantly more capacity, greater resilience and far fewer disruptions caused by power challenges,” said Dr Mboweni.
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