The Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (Zesco) limited plans to invest about $13.1 million on phase three of its fibre optic network installation.

Phase two of the fibre optic project has been carried out along high voltage power lines, which extend to the Eastern, Western, Northern, Muchinga and Luapula provinces.

The company expects this phase to be completed soon.

Moreover, the company has said phase three of the optic fibre extension is planned to ensure that all the provincial headquarters are covered.

Zesco senior manager, Nang’alelwa Sitwala, said phase three, which was approximately 900km in length, would extend the optic fibre network to Mbala, Mpulungu, Petauke, Mfuwe, Kalabo, Kasempa, Mpongwe, Kalomo and Siavonga.

“The network would extend high-speed communication to all provincial centres to ensure faster responses to queries and faults, adding that the fibre optic network would help reduce the cost of doing business in these areas,” Sitwala said.

He said with the completion of phase one and two in 2007, Zesco had so far spent approximately $80 million on the optic fibre network, which was approximately 4,500km long.