The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) is set to commission the construction of 15 base stations. This initiative is in an effort to increase coverage in rural areas as well as improve access to e-learning for underserved communities.
“As one of its mandate of extending the Postal and Telecommunications services in underserved areas and bridging the digital divide between the rich and the poor communities”
Dr Gift Machengete, Director General POTRAZ (The Herald)
The new base stations seem to be part of the four that POTRAZ announced during the joint portfolio meeting on ICT, Postal and Courier Services which was held on Monday.
Sites that were announced on Monday were Chikwarakwara (Matabeleland South), Nyamara (Midlands), Nyatsatso (Mashonaland Central) and Mola (Matabeleland West). The four initial sites as well as the ones announced today are going to be in conjunction with mobile network operators.
“The scope of the project is to construct 15 base stations — passive infrastructure that includes towers, equipment shelters, guardrooms, perimeter fence, commercial power, solar power, diesel engine generators, power back-up batteries and access roads at the selected fifteen (15) USF sites. The MNOs will also provide shared transmission links with a minimum capacity of 300Mbps for each site.”
Dr Gift Machengete, Director General POTRAZ (The Herald)
Dr Machengete also went on to say that the project has been hampered by foreign currency shortages. Which has made importing towers and other equipment difficult.
There was also no timeline given for project or a date for its completion.
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