Minister of Information communication, Technology, post and courier services Supa Mandiwanzira days that mobile phone service provider Netone is resisting the government directive to comply with the infrastructure sharing provisions proclaimed by government.
Speaking in a ZBC SFM radio programme morning grill, Mandiwanzira said that government has given the three mobile service providers Econet, Netone and Telecel a ninety day ultimatum to comply with the directive or face unspecified government action. The directive orders the service providers to start sharing cellphone network distribution base stations installed around the country instead of each provider installing their own.
Netone which enjoys an element of government backing has installed the most number of base stations in remote areas and enjoys the near monopoly of covering the rural areas market. If the move by government is implemented it will see other service providers installing their network transmitters on the structures build by the other providers at a minimal fee.
According to Mandiwanzira the service providers are expected to appreciate that their competition is not on infrastructure but on quality of service provided. The Minister said government would not allow selfishness to prevail amongst the service providers compromising quality of service given to the citizens.
“The essence of infrastructure sharing is like the road network which we share. We can not for example say that everyone must open their own road to Mutare but have one authority build the road and other users paying toll fees to the provider of the road.”
Minister Mandiwanzira took swipe at the service providers who change very high prices for their service in a bid to recover the cost of the infrastructure which if they share will be recouped from the other providers through rentals.
Responding to a question on the future of Telecel following government’s directive for the company to be delicenced after failing to meet licence requirements, Mandiwanzira said that the company’s shareholders have offered to sale all their shares to government and negotiations to that effect are nearing closure.