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Potraz to act on issuance of lines
The Herald (Zimbabwe)
January 12, 2007

http://www1.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=13865&cat=8&livedate=1/12/2007

THE Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe is working on a new set of rules to govern the issuance of phone lines by mobile network service providers in the country.

A Potraz official yesterday said the statutory body was in the process of crafting a framework to regulate the release of lines by service providers Econet, Net-One and Telecel.

"We are trying to work out an acceptable regulatory framework on the issuance of lines," said the official.

He said the need had arisen to draft new rules following a public outcry over the worsening of congestion on all networks after all the three service providers released tens of thousands of lines in the latter half of last year.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Communication conducted a hearing over the issue and laid blame on all the service providers for releasing the lines onto the market without upgrading of networks as a prior step to carry the increased load of traffic.

The committee then brought its findings to Potraz's attention for action.

The providers have, however, refuted the allegations, saying the new lines were not the sole cause of congestion.

Net-One managing director Reward Kangai last week assured subscribers that congestion would end soon as the company was implementing measures to rectify the situation.

The measures include installation of standby electricity generators in base stations, deployment of high-capacity base stations controllers in Harare as well as installing a second mobile switching centre in Bulawayo.

Zimbabwe's mobile market is largely unsatisfied owing to failure by providers to release more lines, maintain and upgrade the network as a result of foreign currency crunches.

In a country with a population of about 12 million, less than 1,5 million people are connected. — New Ziana.

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