Zambian gov't upbeat 4th mobile phone operator to commence operations soon-Xinhua

Zambian gov't upbeat 4th mobile phone operator to commence operations soon

Source: Xinhua| 2022-07-06 23:13:32|Editor: huaxia

LUSAKA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government on Wednesday expressed optimism that the country's fourth mobile phone operator will soon commence operations.

In February last year, the country's information and communication technology regulator, the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA), awarded Beeline Telecoms Limited a license to start operations with a mandate to start operations within six months.

But the firm has not yet commenced operations.

Felix Mutati, the Minister of Technology and Science, said the government was confident that the regulator will soon make an announcement on when the fourth mobile phone operator will commence operations.

He said in a statement posted on his Facebook page that the regulator was not struggling with the fourth mobile phone operator and the progress made towards commencement of operations will soon be made.

Beeline Telecoms Limited became the second firm to be awarded a license for a fourth mobile phone operator after UZI Zambia, a unit Dutch company Unitel International Holdings, failed to fulfill its investment pledges after being given a license in 2018.

Currently, Zambia has three mobile phone operators namely Airtel Zambia, MTN Zambia and Zamtel.

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