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Trust Freddy – Herald Correspondent
TELECOM firm and subsidiary of ZESA Holdings Powertel has gained a 2,05 percentage point increase in market share during the second quarter of 2024, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) has said.
This achievement makes Powertel the sole internet access provider to have gained market share during this period as its strategic realignment efforts begin to bear fruits.
The latest development comes at a time when the firm has invested millions into the network to allow for the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) to connect miners such as Dinson Iron and Steel Company and Bikita Minerals.
In its second quarter 2024 abridged postal and telecommunications sector performance report, POTRAZ said:”Powertel gained a market share of equipped international internet bandwidth capacity by 2,05 percentage points while other IAPS recorded diminished market shares.”
Equipped International Internet bandwidth capacity for Internet access providers, according to POTRAZ increased by 2,15 percent to record 1,062,105 Mbps from 1,039,705 Mbps recorded in the first quarter of 2024.
“The increase is attributable to Powertel and Telecontract, which upgraded their equipped international incoming Internet bandwidth with additional 22,000 Mbps and 300Mbps respectively.”
Powertel recently revealed plans to consolidate and grow the company’s market share, following successful forays into the mining sector.
“We recently powered up Bikita Minerals and as we speak now, they are both electrified and ‘datafied’ by ZETDC and Powertel, enjoying speeds of more than 100 gigabites per second so that is our relationship. So, if we put that investment combined, it is a lot,” said in a statement
The firm, which is under the Mutapa Investment Fund established by the Government, has invested over US$5.5 million in building a dual gateway between Zimbabwe and South Africa to enhance local network connectivity this year.
A dual gateway refers to a setup where two internet gateways are used to manage and route traffic between a local network and the wider internet.
This development promises to make internet services more affordable for Zimbabweans, unlocking opportunities for economic growth, education, and social progress.
The firm has also been enforcing a stringent zero-downtime policy, resolving more than 80 percent of faults within a 48-hour timeframe.
Online Reporter