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GOVERNMENT has commissioned the Telecommunications Traffic Monitoring and Revenue Assurance System [TTMS], which enhances the country’s ability to measure international incoming and outgoing telecommunication traffic as it fights telecommunication fraud.
The TTMS is a civil regulatory tool that enables the Government through the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of ZImbabwe, (Potraz) to ensure full accountability in the provision of public telecommunication services.
Information Communication Technology (ICT), Postal and Courier Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, presided over the official commissioning ceremony in Harare yesterday.
In his address he said the intervention would also measure National Interconnection Traffic also referred to as off-net traffic.
Potraz engaged a reputable firm, Partner Global Voice Group (GVG) to develop the system.
“Pursuant to this key objective, the Government mandated Potraz to establish a system that measures international incoming and outgoing (inbound & outbound) telecommunication traffic and ensure full accountability of the same,” he said.
“Government is therefore pleased to note that Potraz has managed to follow through this mandate by engaging a reputable Partner Global Voice Group (GVG) to develop a solution that meets, if not exceeds, our expectations.”
Dr Muswere said GVG has vast experience in the area of revenue assurance having deployed similar systems in Tanzania, Rwanda and Ghana among other countries.
With Potraz having been afforded full visibility of international and national interconnection traffic flows, it is on a firm pedestal to independently verify traffic volumes and the revenues therefrom, said Minister Muswere.
He said the new system will also assist the authority in dealing with disputes on national interconnection, should they arise.
Another major benefit of the tool is on gathering accurate statistics, which are a key tool for informed decision making and policy formulation.
The TTMS provides the Government with the capability to measure and compute various statistics on both domestic and international telecommunication traffic.
“Government will leverage this capability in coming up with growth-oriented policies and in ensuring that No-One Is Left Behind.
zOur submissions to the ITU will also be based on accurate, relevant and credible data and national statistics.”
Cybercrime is rampant across all sectors including the telecommunication sector and has huge financial implications and most of such crimes go unreported.
To that end, Minister Muswere said the Government is pleased that TTMS system will assist in combating telecommunication fraud perpetrated through traffic refiling and the use of grey routes or illegal gateways in the conveyancing of international traffic.
“The fraudulent traffic ends up being refiled into public networks through SIM boxes of or illegal gateway therefore prejudicing the operators and economy of the much need foreign currency earnings.
“As I understand the TMMS incorporates a fraud management module, which enables the authority to detect fraudulent telecommunication traffic and track down perpetrators of such crime,” said Dr Muswere.
He said the Government views the implementation of TTMS as overdue as the sector forms one of the major pillars in stimulating economic growth and development towards the achievement of Vision 2030.
“Without a robust system in the ICT sector, the sector was prone to manipulation and leakages.
Potraz plays a pivotal role in supporting the ‘Smart Zimbabwe 2030 Masterplan’ together with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’ which are all tailored to expedite and guarantee the achievement of Vision 2030,” said Dr Muswere said.
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