In Summary
The company’s interim general manager, Ms Cecile
Tiano, said the mobile network operator plans to establish 843 new sites
that would provide 3G internet services as the firm seeks to connect
Tanzania to the global economy.
Dar es Salaam. Tigo Tanzania yesterday announced
a $120 million (Sh221 billion) expansion plan for 2015.The amount
incorporates a 20 per cent increase from last year’s $100 million and is
expected to improve service provision countrywide.
The company’s interim general manager, Ms Cecile
Tiano, said the mobile network operator plans to establish 843 new sites
that would provide 3G internet services as the firm seeks to connect
Tanzania to the global economy.
“Expanding both 2G and 3G remain critical to us in
order to increase access to our products and services but we are also
looking at new technologies. We will also look at new technologies like
4G technology as we expand to rural areas,” she said.
Mobile operators have been announcing increased investment plans after steeply raising prices of internet bundles.
Tigo subscribers who previously got 100 megabytes in the Mini Kabang daily bundles now receive only 8MB for the same price.
Vodacom Tanzania has also done the same and its
managing director, Mr Rene Meza, explained that the bundles were on
offer and that they could not continue with low tariff rates in the
current business environment.
This was echoed by Ms Tiano, who said Tanzania had
the lowest tariffs in East Africa. “We cannot continue to finance such
huge investment given the current environment. Tanzania has the highest
taxation levels in the East African region with the lowest tariffs. We
adjust our tariffs to move on and contribute to the growth of the
country,” she said. Ms Tiano said the planned investment will also
address some of the network hitches that are facing customers of voice,
data and mobile financial services.
Communications, Science and Technology Deputy
Minister January Makamba recently directed Tanzania Communications
Regulatory Authority (TCRA) to seek explanations for the tariff changes.
“The regulator has asked us some questions and we
are gathering all information to tell them in time,” Ms Tiano said when
asked why the operators did not notify customers of the tariff
adjustment.
Last year, Tigo introduced cross-border mobile
payment to Rwanda, Interoperability which allows cross-network mobile
payment in partnership with Airtel and Zantel, Facebook Kiswahili
version and profit sharing through Tigo Trust Account.
The firm also said subscribers had increased from seven million in 2013 to nine million in 2014.
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