Zambia eBiz Guide - page 174

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Communication
The three mobile service providers are as follows:
Zambia’s leading mobile phone compan\ is $irtel,
which has a marNet share of around 7 percent,
followed b\ MT1 from South $frica. Cell Z is Z$
MTE/’s cellular service provider, and it holds the
smallest marNet share. ,nternational gatewa\ li
censes have been awarded to Airtel and MTN in a
bid to bring down the high cost of communications.
Mobile data services using *35S and E'*E are
available, and the * services have recentl\ been
made available.
Internet Serv ices
:hile there has, indeed, been substantial growth
in mobile connectivit\, internet and broadband con
nectivit\ have historicall\ been ver\ low. There are
eighteen licensed internet service providers out of
which eleven are operational.
The growth of internet penetration has been limited,
in part, b\ the high cost of services. The cost of in
ternet services in Zambia and Africa as a whole is
generall\ much higher than the cost of the same
service in either Europe or $sia due to the reliance
on Satellite Technolog\ for connectivit\.
Fiber-optic connectiv ity
,t is anticipated that the fiber optic networNs on both
sides of the $frican seaboard and the subseTuent
connection with inland fiber optic networNs will low
er the cost of ,CT services. Zambia, b\ virtue of its
geographical position, is a natural regional hub for
,CT in the transition from satellite to fiber optic con
nectivit\ in that it can serve as a linN to countries
from around the continent.
,n terms of the national fiber optic infrastructure,
ZESC2, CEC, and Z$MTE/ have networNs provid
ing the bacNbone of the countr\’s infrastructure.
TELECOM OPERATOR PRIMARI ACTIVITY Summer Low
Airtel Mobile www.africa.airtel.com]ambia
MTN Mobile www.mtn]ambia.co.]m
Zamtel Mobile www.]amtel.]m
Credit: Luis López