Zimbabwean mobile operator Econet Wireless has become one the first operators in the country to launch 4G mobile services to their subscribers over the weekend.
“This 4G Long Term Evolution service that we are bringing to our customers or the market is basically in response to our customers to say they need speed in terms of the way transactions happen,” said Douglas Mboweni, Econet Wireless’ chief executive.
Mboweni added that Econet will continue to provide services to their subscribers for as long as there is a need. “We will not stop here to admire our handiwork. We will continue to move forward and certainly LTE (4G) service is basically a point in this journey, which we call a journey without a specific destination,” he said.
The newly-launched 4G services will not however be available across the entire Econet network, as it is first being made available in the central business districts of Harare, Bulawayo and the town of Victoria Falls – where the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly is being held this year.
Mboweni did not reveal as to when the 4G network will be expanded to encompass their entire country, but said that Econet would target high traffic areas first, before rolling out to rural communities.
Econent Wireless’ Chief Commercial and Customer Services Officer Stanley Henning explained that 4G will provide users with much faster data connections than on 3G. “Next is 4G after 3G; it is all about speed; speed of access, download and upload in a blink. As such, 4G will bring customers that necessary speed.”
Charlie Fripp – Consumer Tech editor
