NEW MOBILE PHONE COMPANY GOOD IDEA - ZACA

The Zambia Consumers Association (ZACA) has welcomed Government’s move to rescind and revoke its earlier decision not to allow a fourth mobile phone service operator in the country.

ZACA Executive Director Muyunda Ililonga says the move is commendable as it will help encourage competition and also enhance the vibrancy of the mobile telecommunication sector in the country.

Mr Ililonga said the more players come into the telecommunication sector the more the country’s economy is likely to grow.

He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that more competition in the telecommunications sector will also mean that consumers will have a wide range of products to choose from.

He said Government’s earlier decision to close any possibility of a fourth telecommunication company from coming into the country was not fair to the investors and the consumers.

Mr Ililonga said consumers need to have the right of choice and that that can only be achieved if competition in the mobile telecommunications sector is allowed to flourish by letting other players onto the market.

He said competition would also bring about innovation which would result in a wide range of improved products.

The ZACA Chief has also called on Government to enhance the capacity of the Zambia Information Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) to effectively regulate the sector with the coming in of other players in the sector.

He noted that ZICTA has not done enough to protect consumers against uncompetitive activities of players in the telecommunications sector, adding that many complaints against mobile telecommunication service providers have gone unchallenged.

Mr. Ililonga said it is imperative that Government raise the capacity of ZICTA to supervise companies more especially with the coming of more players in the sector.

He said there is currently dissatisfaction about the regulatory capacity of ZICTA as concerns raised by consumers have not been resolved to the satisfaction of the consumers.

Recently Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Minister Christopher Yaluma announced that Government had rescinded and revoked its earlier decision not to allow a fourth mobile telecommunication phone service operator into the country.

Mr. Yaluma disclosed that Government was currently in the process of allowing a fourth mobile phone service operator in the country, a move which he said was aimed at encouraging more competition in the telecommunications sector and subsequently help lower prices for mobile phone services.