Ashly DhaniFrancis Gakanje
Listed telecommunications company, Econet Wireless Limited, saw its current network modernisation programme accelerate due to strategic partnerships with key equipment vendors, the company noted in its 2024 annual report.
The company said this came after several years of underinvestment due to limited foreign currency availability.
Dr James Myers, the chairman of the board said: “We have now modernised over 1 012 sites with 4G high-capacity base stations. Of these, 750 are in Harare and Bulawayo and the whole Manicaland region.”
He said that modernisation efforts are set to continue, with an additional 550 base station locations planned for deployment across the nation.
“We are grateful that the Government through POTRAZ has now provided us with spectrum within the 700MHz frequency band which will extend the coverage of existing base stations to serve customers who are at the periphery of the current coverage limit,” said Dr Myers.
In addition to the modernised sites, the organisation has added more than 50 new base station locations thereby improving the quality of service and expanding the network’s geographical coverage.
Capitalising on the recent network upgrade, the company has partnered with global roaming partners to expand its geographical coverage and enhance the roaming service offerings available to customers.
“Inbound visitors can now experience high-speed browsing on our
4G/LTE network throughout Zimbabwe.
“We also unveiled the country’s first e-SIM service to enhance customer experience,” said Dr Douglas Mboweni, the group chief executive officer.
According to the annual report, the company managed to install 27 5G base stations marking a 23 percent improvement compared to the previous year.
The chairperson of the board said the company has embraced Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a core component of its business operations.
During the year under review, Econet has substantially increased the deployment of AI tools to enhance operational efficiency, optimise business processes and deliver superior customer experiences.
“This has resulted in increased customer activity ratios,” said the chairman of the board.
To enhance usage and revenue, the company integrated intelligent recommendation engines and predictive models into its daily operations, resulting in a 47 percent growth in voice segment usage.
Despite navigating a challenging landscape, the company has remained steadfast in its commitment to providing reliable connectivity to its customers.
Econet believes that technology is a vital enabler for achieving the goals set forth in the Smart Zimbabwe 2030 initiative, particularly in smart industrialisation.
“Our vision is to establish a high-performance network that not only delivers exceptional connectivity but also fuels industrial growth and societal progress throughout the nation,” added the CEO.
Reaffirming its dedication to network superiority, the company launched a plan in July 2023, coinciding with its 25th anniversary to deploy 1 000 new base stations nationwide by end of the fiscal year, supplementing the existing 4, 243 base stations.
In September 2023, the company initiated a significant network modernisation initiative in Manicaland province.
“This project focused on upgrading all existing 3G infrastructure to 4G/LTE technology throughout the region.
“By February 2024, we successfully deployed 205 new 4G base stations, significantly enhancing network capacity and connectivity in the province,” added Dr Mboweni.
Positioned for growth, innovation and transformation, the company remains committed to delivering exceptional customer experiences, driving digital inclusion and leveraging the power of technology to shape a brighter future.
“We are looking to scale up our 5G penetration to unlock new opportunities, leverage on artificial intelligence and process automation to improve operational efficiencies and customer service delivery,” according to Dr Myers.
Bongani Ndlovu