UZI given 6 months extension

FOURTH mobile service provider, UZI, has been given a six- month extension period for the company to start operations in the country, Minister of Transport and Communication Brian Mushimba has said.

UZI mobile provider, an Angolan based company was expected to start operations on March 18, 2019.

Dr Mushimba said in an interview yesterday that Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) had given the extension period to allow the fourth mobile service provider to connect the fibers from the country of origin to Zambia.

Dr Mushimba said the extension period would allow the company to conclude all the processes required.

“Yes the service mobile provider was expected to start operations this month, but they wrote to ZICTA for extension to connect its fibre from Angola to Zambia. They did explain that the process needed time and the Authority decided to give the extension of six months to enable it to complete all the process,” Dr Mushimba said.

Dr Mushimba said Government understood that the process was costly and that the company needed enough time to prepare and provide quality services to subscribers.

He assured the nation that the mobile service provider was confident of investing in Zambia because of the conducive environment the country provided to the private sector.

“As announced, UZI is coming in Zambia, it has started all the process and I can assure the nation that in the next six months it will start operating,” he said.

Last year, UZI failed to launch its operations due to disagreement with ZICTA on conditions of the licence.

He said the fourth mobile service provide later complied with the conditions of the licence and was expected to launch operations this month.

Dr Mushimba said the firm finalised all the licence requirements on September 18 last year, adding that as stated in the law, the company must be given six months from the date of payments to start operations.