Change in communication sector boon for economic growth

and development, Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development Minister, Nicholas Goche has said.
Minister Goche said this on Friday in a speech read on his behalf by the director of roads in the ministry Engineer Nelson Kudenga during celebrations to mark the 10th anniversary of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe.

“Technological developments are transforming the communications market in a big way through convergence. We are witnessing the re-organisation of markets, which we predict will result in interesting strategic alliances.
“Such changes need to be analysed in order to enable us to exploit the opportunities and threats that come with the changing scenarios.

“We believe our future prosperity and success lie in unlimited and ubiquitous communications services,” he said.
Minister Goche said Government had formulated policies to improve communications as witnessed by the construction of the fibre optic links to undersea cables that will improve Internet connectivity.
“Government is conscious that the widespread technological dissemination creates new opportunities across all segments of society and also presents new challenges requiring adaptable strategies.

“We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that all opportunities and benefits created by the availability and accessibility to broadband will be enjoyed by all communities on a non discriminatory basis,” he said.

The minister said ICTs offered various employment opportunities for youths.
Speaking at the same occasion, Potraz director general engineer Charles Sibanda, said by the end of the year his organisation would have spent US$10 million on telecommunications infrastructure in rural areas.

“The funds are part of the US$24 million under the Universal Services Fund’s Connecting Rural Communities project aimed at promoting development of telecommunication services in rural areas.
“The development is expected to boost further Zimbabwe’s ICT penetration rate,” he said.

The three cellular phone service providers will share the infrastructure. Potraz was established in 2001 to license and regulate postal and telecommunications services.