Zambias ICT sector is growing, with a few studies on the telecoms sector in Zambia reviewing the state of competition
Generally, there are four principal markets: the landline (fixed/terrestrial), the international gateway (IGW), the mobile telephone and Internet markets.
The geographic telecoms market initially covered the areas where there is a concentration of the population and business, being mainly the areas along the line of rail joining the Copperbelt in the north through the capital, Lusaka, in the central region to Livingstone in the south.
There is also the emerging New Copperbelt area around Solwezi in the North-Western Province. However, today, the situation has changed with the remotest places in the confines of the national frontiers being reached.
Despite promising penetrating growth rates, Zambia is still behind regional standards with regard to providing access to telecoms services for its citizens. The sector is characterised by limited access to infrastructure services.
It is evident that Airtel Zambia dominates the mobile telephony market in Zambia with MTN on its heels. On the other hand, Zamtel enjoys absolute monopoly in the fixed landline segment of the market and, until recently, in the IGW market.
The passing of the ICT Act of 2009 has helped enhance operations and regulation of the sector.
Nawa Mutumweno
