HARARE: The Zimbabwean government has cancelled the operating licence for that country’s third largest mobile operator by subscriber base, Telecel Zimbabwe.
In a statement released this week, the Postal and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) said the cancellation was with effect from April 28 2015.
Government, two months ago, cancelled an agreement with the company which allowed it to operate without paying the $137,5 million operating licence renew fee.
Mobile network operators are expected to pay $137,5 million with the licence valid for 20 years. It is different from the previous figure of $100m for 15 years.
Zimbabwe has three mobile network companies – Econet Zimbabwe, Telecel Zimbabwe and State-owned NetOne.
Potraz said: “In order to facilitate the smooth switch of the Telecel Zimbabwe network as well as ensuring that disruption is minimised, Potraz concurrently issued a special licence to Telecel to continue providing telecommunications services for a period of 30 days.”
The statement further read that during the period, Telecel Zimbabwe subscribers were expected to switch to alternative networks.
“. . . those with credits on the Telecash Mobile money platform would make good their position.” Telecash Mobile is a platform used to transfer money inter and intra-network in the country.
The regulatory body also noted that it had given Telecel Zimbabwe a further 60 days after switching off so the company could decommission their equipment.
“It should be underlined that the telecommunication equipment remains Telecel Zimbabwe’s property. It is up to Telecel Zimbabwe to decide what to do with the equipment.”
Potraz renewed Telecel Zimbabwe’s operating licence in August 2013 after an agreement to pay the licence fee over an agreed period. Telecel received its first operating licence in 1998 which was due for renewal in June 2013.
Telecel, which has just over two million subscribers according to the latest official data, is Zimbabwe’s third biggest mobile operator.
VimpelCom, a Dutch-headquartered communications firm, owns 60% of Telecel with the remaining shareholding being controlled by a local consortium Empowerment Corporation.
In terms of Section 96 of the Postal and Telecommunications Act, Telecel Zimbabwe may appeal to the Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services should they be aggrieved by the decision of the Authority on this matter, Potraz said.
