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they offer better services.
Speaking during the recent broadband conference in Harare, WIOCC chief commercial officer Mr James Wekesa said sharing infrastructure helped avoid underutilisation of fibre.
“(Local broadband players must) compete on services not infrastructure. Share infrastructure where possible to reduce duplication and underutilised fibre, hence poor return on investment,” said Mr Wekesa.
He added that collaborating and competing was the new rule of the game around the world instead of fighting for recognition as the service provider with the best infrastructure. The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe has also been calling for infrastructure sharing among the country’s broadband and mobile services providers.
Potraz director-general Mr Charles Sibanda was recently quoted as saying the regulator was planning to institute compulsory infrastructure sharing.
Econet and NetOne have been trading accusations and counter-accusations on the sharing of infrastructure.
The failure by the telecoms players to share infrastructure has resulted in unprecedented environmental degradation as broadband providers sought to install fibre optic cable.
Meanwhile, Mr Wekesa said given the potential for broadband in Zimbabwe, it was important for service providers to introduce value added services that increase broadband uptake.
The country has many advantages that support increased broadband uptake, including a 90,7 percent literacy rate and a fairly high population. As at June 30 last year, Zimbabwe had 1 981 277 internet users, translating to 15,3 percent of the population.
According to the 2012 census 2012 figures, the country has a population of about 13 million.
The census statistics show that Harare has slightly over two million people, with the age group 15-54 years, which translates to 52 percent, being immediate potential for taking up broadband services. The 0-14 age group, which translates to about 41 percent, makes up the country’s future potential.
Mr Wekesa said it was critical for local broadband providers to benchmark and network with players in other markets to keep abreast with new developments in the sector for them to increase market share.
He also said investing in low-cost devices will have the immediate effect of increasing broadband uptake in the near future.
Some of the country’s top broadband providers are TelOne, Econet Wireless, PowerTel, NetOne and Telecel. The growth in broadband uptake in Zimbabwe and the rest of Africa has been largely attributed state-of-the-art mobile phones that are coming into the market on a daily basis.
Other manufacturers, especially in Asia, have also come to the party and are producing thousands of lowly priced handsets, which in some cases provide for internet services.
Manufacturers of smart phones shipped about 216.2 million phones in the first quarter of 2013 onto the market.
This was the first time that more smart phones than feature phones were shipped globally.
WIOCC was formed in 2007 and is owned by 14 African telecommunication companies including TelOne. – ENDS
Online Reporter