. Mushimba

By HELEN ZULU –
GOVERNMENT is concerned about the quality of services and products being offered by mobile service providers and has called on them to remedy the situation and ensure maximum benefits for Zambians.
Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba said the situation of poor quality services needed to be worked on as soon as possible to ensure maximum benefit for the customers.
Mr Mushimba said all mobile phone operators needed to remain committed to improving the quality of service.
He said in a speech read for him by director communications Yese Bwalya during the launch of Airtel Zambia Fourth Generation (4G) Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network in Lusaka yesterday.
“We are committed to creating an enabling environment and developing policies that will promote homegrown innovative solutions for use of information and communication technology, we therefore call upon all operators to ensure quality of service for the benefit of all Zambians,” he said.
Mr Mushimba further directed the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) to put in place measures that will guarantee quality of service from mobile service providers.He said ZICTA, as a regulator should put in place measures that would guarantee quality of service for the Zambians.
ZICTA director general Patrick Mutimushi said the authority would continue to foster investment in the sector and encourage development as the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector was dynamic and critical to the social and economic development of the country.
Mr Mutimushi said 4G network was a good measure of having full realisation of internet and  that it would provide consumers the opportunity to experience reliable high speed internet and downloads.
“We are looking forward to good quality of experience and service for consumers as well as access to more innovative products and services from Airtel that will contribute towards attaining a smart Zambia,” he said.
Airtel Zambia managing director Peter Correia said the mobile subscription was at 79 per cent in the country and mobile broadband users have grown by 208 per cent over the last five years.
Mr Correia said mobile internet had become an integral part of many peoples’ lives and the ability to utilize and experience the internet in a quicker, richer way opens new possibilities for both business and personal lives.