Zimbabwe state-owned mobile network operator, NetOne, has this week announced cooperation with international mobile technology manufacturer, Lenovo.

As a result of the partnership, 30 shops will be opened in several parts of the country beginning initially with Harare, and Bulawayo.

According to the Lenovo sales manager, Percy Makina, as part of the agreement, Lenovo products will be sold in NetOne shops throughout the country.

In 2015 Lenovo said its revenue had reached $46.30 billion for the year ending March 31. "Lenovo, as one of the fast growing mobile phones in the world, the partners will go a long way making sure NetOne is the mobile network of choice in the country," said NetOne spokesperson, John Nyashanu.

The announcement has come on the heels of the mobile telecommunications company's restructuring exercise.

The company, as revealed in parliament last week, is alleged to be bleeding because top government officials are failing to settle their cellphone bills, reported to be approximately US$9 million.

NetOne, whose subscriber base ballooned from 2,5 million in 2014 to four million last year, is currently embarking on a turnaround programme.

Last year, the organisation installed 148 base stations countrywide, the largest figure since the company's inception 20 years ago.

NetOne would pursue "an aggressive strategy to grow, not just through user number growth, but also network utilisation and through a broadened product range", Nyashanu said.

He added that the mobile operator would pursue a robust focus on cost containment to drive profitability. "Stability of the business is expected to emerge from compliance with our own governance structures from board level to the shop floor," he said.