CEC Liquid Telecom Zambia plans to invest US$16 million this year in infrastructure development in order to improve internet connectivity and penetration in the Southern African country.

Managing Director Andrew Kapula also confirmed plans to open more offices in Southern, Northern and Western parts of Zambia.

Kapula told the media that in 2015, the company invested $17 million in infrastructure development to improve its telecommunication services and experienced 23% growth - despite economic challenges in the last quarter.

Challenges included long hours of load shedding coupled with the weakening of the local currency.

Kapula added that the company has extended its backbone fibre by 500 kilometres and that its metro fibre is now over 2,700 kilometres across the country. "2016 looks exciting for the company as it will be getting its services to areas that have never had internet connectivity."

In February last year, the company launched its Fibre To The Home (FTTH) offering with the intention to provide businesses and homes with access to fast broadband with unlimited data packages.

It also announced a $5 million investment in building a new fibre link between the capital Lusaka and Victoria Falls in Livingstone to provide both retail and wholesale customers with high-speed broadband connectivity in Southern Zambia.

CEC Liquid Telecom is a joint venture between the Liquid Telecom Group and Copperbelt Energy Corporation PLC (CEC), a power negation, transmission and distribution company.

International connectivity is secured through pan-African fibre and satellite networks of Liquid Telecom Group, which connects to different sea cables including SEACOM, TEAMS and EASSY.