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TelOne is rehabilitating copper cables around the country as a way of improving connectivity within its network. Some of the infrastructure has been vandalised or stolen by cable thieves. The successful rehabilitation of the network will enable TelOne to offer a wide range of services to its customers.
Already the state enterprise has successfully turned the standard copper lines into reliable internet connectivity tools via Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line ADSL.
Besides the standard ADSL, TelOne recently introduced SHDSL, which is a faster means of connecting online on the same copper lines, which gives speed balance on both uploads and downloads connectivity speeds, making it a very stable and reliable means of connection.
This will enable TelOne offer products that offer the same speeds as most fibre optic service providers. Given its efficiency, SHDSL is the product which TelOne should be pushing instead of the standard ADSL as the former is more stable compared to fibre optic, which literally has unlimited speeds though pricey.
Of course TelOne has its own fibre infrastructure, probably the second biggest in Zimbabwe and the only one cutting across Zimbabwe directly linking Mutare to Victoria Falls via Mozambique and South Africa.
This enables the parastatal to control and determine the prices that end-users are charged. This is the major strategic position which TelOne has and are largely utilising to gain a bigger piece of the market share.
TelOne managing director Chipo Mtasa said they are working flat out to make sure that they become the country’s reliable fixed land line operator and an Internet Access Provider.
“Our mandate is very clear as a service provider, giving connectivity to the whole nation is our major focus and we are working tirelessly to reconnect all the vandalised and dormant lines,” she said.
TelOne has already launched a campaign where its sales people are conducting door to door campaigns throughout the country to register new and old clients willing to be connected to the land line network.
There is still a lot of scope for the land line business despite certain limitations when compared to cellphones. Considering that it costs only 5 cents per minute to call other landlines and 18 cents for cellphones, the costs of landline, surely having this indispensable asset is a must for every household.
The Writer is the editor of TechnoMag, Zimbabwe`s Premier Technology Magazine, more on www.technomag.co.zw or join us on our facebook page www.facebook.com/technomagzw Email ictarticles[at]technomag.co.zw tweet @TechnoMagZw.
Online Reporter