Here’s a summary of the issues pointed out in the article:
- TelOne is failing to service high priority infrastructure like that used by the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) aerodromes in Mutorashanga and Rusape.
- Management is reluctant to restore fixed lines to full capacity in areas like Chitungwiza where only 3,000 of the 7000 lines are active.
- There has been poor human resources management at TelOne, which has resulted in a bloated unskilled workforce (a lot of clerks) and loss of skilled manpower to competition.
Today, TelOne issued a response to the allegations through the press. TelOne basically refutes some of the issues raised. It also admits that there are some infrastructure problems with high priority business customers like the CAAZ but that all parties are fully aware that the problems are being worked on.
The press statement, titled “Update on operational activities”, also references projects that have been carried out successfully in recent months in a bid to show just how much progress the Runhare House executives have registered to date.
Here’s the full text of the TelOne press statement:
TelOne like most utilities has not been spared the scourge of copper thefts and infrastructure vandalism which resulted in most areas losing telecommunication services. Load shedding has also affected the performance of our telecommunication plant.
Lately, TelOne has embarked on a number of projects o upgrade the network as well as introduce new services to the market. Some of the recently commissioned projects are:
- The optical fibre cable between Harare and Mutare creating super highway to the rest of the world through the EASSy undersea cable. This project has ushered in affordable internet broadband to the nation.
- To compliment the above project TelOne has also rolled out (an) IP Metro network in Harare and Bulawayo to provide ADSL and high speed data communication.
- TelOne also invested in a wireless solution (CDMA) to mitigate the problem of cable thefts and vandalism.
- To address remote inaccessible areas, TelOne commissioned the latest state of the art VSAT system.
- In addition to the above, TelOne has entered into an agreement with the one of the major Telecommunication equipment suppliers to renew all the exchanges and transmission equipment countrywide thereby introduction more services.
TelOne and the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) have a cordial working relationship and hold meetings from time to time to update each other on matters of common interest. The problems of Mutorashanga and Rusape have been flagged in these meetings and both parties are actively working on remedial solutions. TelOne is working on a network mordenisation programme that involves the replacement of antiquated equipment to address not only CAAZ issues but customers countrywide.
In Chitungwiza the exchange is equipped to carry up to 7,200 lines of which 7,038 have been subscribed/sold to customers. Of these, 2,162have been temporarily suspended as a inducement for the customers to settle their accounts, most of which have been outstanding for over two years. Just over 1,000 lines are not working because of infrastructure vandalism. TelOne is actively working to restore the vandalised lines despite repeated and continued theft of cables in this area.
There was service disruption on 16 August, 2011 and Karoi, Mhangura and Makuti which resulted in loss of traffic to and from these areas. Telephony services have since been restored as of 25 August, 2011.
TelOne, like any organisation in Zimbabwe, has had its own fair share of losing some skilled personnel. Telecommunication technician and engineer training in Zimbabwe is solely provided by TelOne. Therefore, the telecommunication industry in Zimbabwe depends on TelOne for their technical skill requirement.
4 comments
Sometime ago l was at Telone to inquire about landline plus broadband. My first impression was of very disappointed man. First, you have the security guards who mistaken themselves as Technicians but ready to use there button stick at any given opportunity.
Secondly, after being referred from one office to another, l was finally told to go and see the senior engineer of some sort! God have mess, the guy was more interested in reading his Herald than helping, he seems to have no clue at all about what l was asking him. He looks to me like a inside man working for rival company.
Generally the company doesnt know what it have, and also lack people with skills and vision to drive itself forward. All the helpdesk l saw there qualifies to be in pension.
macdchip that is exactly what lack of management does, confusion reigns, people don’t work. Telone is one company that can provide a perfect case study in how businesses collapse, but then they were not really a business but a parastatal -Ther is a world of difference between the two. They are stuck in monopoly mode where things just work by themselves, the customers endure endless queues to buy their services, and any price goes.
This is a company which cut of service to probably more than half its customers after an arbitrary hike in prices and consequently lost a huge share of the market, the result is little income to support new ventures and retain staff.
Major changes are required to change the very DNA of their organisation and culture if they are to survive as a company.
macdchip that is exactly what lack of management does, confusion reigns, people don’t work. Telone is one company that can provide a perfect case study in how businesses collapse, but then they were not really a business but a parastatal -Ther is a world of difference between the two. They are stuck in monopoly mode where things just work by themselves, the customers endure endless queues to buy their services, and any price goes.
This is a company which cut of service to probably more than half its customers after an arbitrary hike in prices and consequently lost a huge share of the market, the result is little income to support new ventures and retain staff.
Major changes are required to change the very DNA of their organisation and culture if they are to survive as a company.
nah nah you can all say what you want but of all the parastals or government so-called private companies tel-one still provides the best customer caring services. phone zesa or your local municipality and feel the difference.