Telecom sector drives growth

Zimbabwe’s telecommunication sector is continuing to expand and is now the second largest in the region due to rapid technological developments.

According to a report from the Ministry of Finance, the sector is now second in both voice and internet coverage. As a result, telecommunications has become the driver of overall growth in the services industry. The growth has been pushed by massive investment in network infrastructure, culminating in notable gains in coverage.

The finance ministry said mobile subscribers had increased to about 97 percent, underpinned by massive investment in network expansion.

“Following the near saturation of mobile communications, there has been massive investment in the broadband fibre network. The internet penetration rate rose above regional averages of around 13 percent which is, however, still below the international average of around 36 percent,” the finance ministry said.

The Minister of Information Communication Technology Nelson Chamisa said there had been a number of policy initiatives by the government that had helped to drive growth in the sector.

“The fibre optic cable network has brought speedy traffic flow both in and out of the country,” he said.

Access to telecommunications in rural areas has grown rapidly over the past couple of years.

“We have more base stations in the countryside than in urban areas,” he said.

The ministry of finance, however, pointed out that fixed telephone subscribers were on the decline. The telecommunications industry in Zimbabwe has defied the country’s economic problems.

Post published in: Business
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