Mobile operator Zanzibar Telecom (Zantel) is planning to launch the first 4G LTE network on the island of Zanzibar ‘early next year’, according to local site Daily News, citing the operator’s CEO Mr Benoit Janin. Additional mooted modernisation plans include rolling out nationwide roaming, enhancing mobile financial facilities and extending 3G services. Parent company Millicom International Cellular (MIC) is also keen to strengthen its partnership with the government of Zanzibar to ensure overall improvement of services to consumers.
As previously reported by TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate, in October this year MIC announced that it had concluded the acquisition of an 85% stake in Zantel from Etisalat Group, in the process becoming the second largest mobile operator in Tanzania by subscribers. At that date Zantel operated 2G and 3G services over a network of 545 base transceiver stations (BTS), holding 850MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz and 2100MHz spectrum for Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania and ownership rights to undersea fibre-optic capacity on the EASSy cable. The government of Zanzibar retained its 15% stake in the company.