BY TAFADZWA KACHIKO INFORMATION Communication and Technology (ICT) minister Jenfan Muswere today launched 10 TelOne Blaze LTE service Base Stations in Chitungwiza which are set to service at least 6000 clients.
The stations include two in St Mary’s C-Junction, while others were installed in Zengeza, Ziko, Makoni, Bvukura, and Tilcor Industries. The base stations will increase TelOne’s network coverage by 100%.
TelOne managing director Chipo Mutasa said the telecommunications company was targeting to roll out 40 base stations countrywide.
“Today we commissioned 10 base stations scattered around Chitungwiza and will power the Blaze LTE service for at least 6000 clients. This commissioning is the first phase of a bigger project by TelOne which targets to roll out 40 base stations countrywide as well as upgrading core networks to ensure enhanced capacity to efficiently carry the service,” she said.
“I am so glad that through riding on towers owned by NetOne, Telecel and Econet we have been able to deploy this service here in Chitungwiza much quicker and at a lower cost.”
Mutasa said that the traditional copper and steel installations were prone to vandalism.
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“TelOne has for long battled incidents of vandalism of its telecommunications infrastructure which was on the increase countrywide targeting mostly copper and other steel installations. The biggest loss of such acts is disruption of service to clients. While this directly impacts our revenues, the impact on the company’s reputation is immense,” she said.
Harare Metropolitan Province Minister of State Oliver Chidawu welcomed the development saying that it supports the government’s agenda to connect the whole province.
Muswere commended TelOne for embracing the government’s infrastructure sharing policy which is cost effective.
“A few days ago we said TelOne is our pride of joy. The Chitungwiza LTE expansion launched today is in line with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vision in terms of the digital economy. It represents our commitment to a digital journey to ensure that each and every place is connected without leaving anyone behind by 2030,” he said.
“The commitment by TelOne, Econet, Telecel, NetOne and other players is consistent with the government’s infrastructure sharing policy. It helps us as a sector to reduce operational costs, and ensures that there is no duplication of effort, investment and infrastructure. This will also bring down the cost of servicing across the country,”
Econet will share four of its sites with TelOne, while NetOne is also sharing four with TelOne and Econet shares two with Telecel.