TelOne, Zimbabwe’s fixed telecommunications operator has decided to brimg in projects that will improve growth data business, and this will cost them $90 million.
The managing director of the company, Chipo Mtasa said that the money was part of the company’s budget set aside towards developing new projects.
“We are currently conducting feasibility studies on most of our projects but the way we want to grow as TelOne is that we need to focus on our data business. The US$90 million budgeted for new projects will not be used in 2014 alone but will expand into 2015, because we want to employ cost cutting initiatives as effective as possible,” said Mtasa said.
She added that discussions are still on going to refine the scope of the projects. The company, she continued,will continue to set up more one stop shops around the country in order to increase sales for voice and broadband services.
“The decision to set up the shops countrywide is part of company efforts to bring its services closer to customers. We agreed that TelOne should be closer to its clients where everything will be monitored and recorded from the Head Office,” said the managing director.
Mtasa stated that TelOne is still owed millions of dollars and they hope by the end of the first six months of 2014 all the debts would have been collected. Defaulting customers owe the company over US$200 million.
The issue of unsettled accounts has affected the uptake of other TelOne services like ADSL, as initially customers were not allowed to subscribe for new services until they settled all outstanding debts.
According to the latest statistics from the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe fixed line subscriber numbers in Zimbabwe fell to 301 650 from 325 000.