PowerTel Communications, the state owned subsidiary of national power company, ZESA, is set to launch mobile voice services on its network. PowerTel sales and marketing manager, Willard Nyagwande made the announcement at a function in Harare yesterday.
PowerTel’s launch of mobile voice service follows Africom and Brodacom, who launched similar services in June and this month respectively. All 3 operators have Internet Access Provider licenses and have used them to implement CDMA services that include mobile voice.
PowerTel officials at the event explained that the commercialisation of interconnection agreements with other mobile operators will be done in the coming weeks as the company prepares to start signing up mobile telephony subscribers. The officials revealed that coverage of mobile voice services at the moment extends from Harare to Plumtree, a stretch that has 16 base stations installed. According to a PowerTel engineer, some 35 base stations are currently being procured and over the next few months, more areas will be covered.
The tariffs of the PowerTel voice are services are nothing short of pleasing. Like Brodacom and Africom, on-net calls are priced at US 6 cents per minute (including VAT) and calls to other networks are billed at US 12 cents per minute. This of course compares favourably to rates by GSM mobile operators, Telecel, Econet and NetOne, who currently charge a minimum of US 21 cents a minute.
In what appears to be another move into consumer facing products, PowerTel announced that the company will start providing web hosting services in the coming months.
PowerTel also took the opportunity to announce the connection to the SEACOM cable system in Mozambique completed last month. The fibre cable to Mozambique, were PowerTel now connects to the TDM fibre network, was laid for the company by Telerix (a Masawara subsidiary) under a twenty year agreement.
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13 comments
Launching something and seemingly good intentions are one thing, but delivering a true mobile or internet user experience is a whole different ball game. Having experienced and subsequently ditched Powertel’s version of broadband internet I don’t hold much hope with any of their product/service offerings.
So James you left powertel what are u using now and what’s faster and is it cheaper and overally is it worth it I live in chisipite and if left undisturbed I can download 3gig per day
PowerTel have the best deals as of now i.e if its working, if you can manage to download 3gig per day from PowerTel, then dont bother with other Service providers because they will make pay through the nose.
True JamesM, PowerTel is building a elephant on clay legs. They need to fine tune what they have now and make sure its working before they venture into new areas of specialty.
There broadband service is in tatters and adding more load to there already struggling infrastruture is not going to produce any magic.
So which provider has better services
PowerTel has the best infrastructure in terms of connectivity..I am not sure what Jamesm really mean..I would wish u can email me directly to wnyagwande@powertel.co.zw …i suspect you live in areas where there are loops…the market is clamouring for our products… u need to experience real broadband with us…we have the bandwidth to support all our products.. i agree that before launch u need to perfect…
Willard Nyagwande
l live in Malborough-greencroft, been to your offices so many times and l had my account frozen until there is better service. You might have the better infrastructure and people clamoring for it but after time how many come back or recommend your service delivery.
please give us some internet services in marondera too…why did you dig up the whole town for then?…after all,we are less fuss down here,anything reasonably dependable will do…thanks
I’m sorry to say this but have u noticed how the railway line also passes thru ndera … It’s on it’s way sumwhere else
i have been going to the Powertel office On the 7th floor of LAPF House for the past 6 months to find out when they are going to cover the biggest township in Bulawayo which also happens to be one the youngest Cowdray Park and Luveve and Gwabalanda . its always next month we will be done. so guys don’t dream to much there is still nothing where i am.
i saw someone who seems to be a senior manager at the Trade fair first week of May he had a lot of promises.
my email isbeki73@gmail.com if any Powertel manager would be interested in telling me why one half of Bulawayo is covered.
Powertel is great and all but, unfortunately, those people there do not seem to be innovative. It is hardly practical for an individual who spends the whole day using the net at work to subscribe to powertel. The company should by now have been offering various other products for individuals with different lifestyles, ie, while unlimited broadband is great, why not have a prepaid version for all the others. As a result of this, i have left powertel…
We have a lot of innovative products coming..We are finalising on our billing system and we will be able to give tiers…i apprecaite your comment…watch this space….