Spectrum has been allocated to Zimbabwean telecom companies that want to run LTE enabled broadband networks, the local regulator has confirmed.

This move by the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) enables operators to roll-out networks that have faster mobile internet upload and download speeds.

The move also comes after Econet Wireless launched an LTE service for non-mobile gadgets for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation general assembly jointly hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia last year.

Nicholas Muzhuzha, the manager for networks and standards at Potraz, has confirmed that LTE spectrum has already been allocated to operators.

“We have already allocated spectrums for LTE. One of the mobile networks (Econet) is supposed to have launched LTE during the UNWTO in Victoria Falls,” said Muzhuzha.

Rose Moyo, a representative for Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei in Zimbabwe, said there was no reason “why Zimbabwe should lag behind in deploying LTE broadband” which had been “a main transformer” in Africa.

She said LTE could be a useful tool in enhancing e-education, e-health and in helping bring other services to communities.

NetOne managing director, Reward Kangai, confirmed that LTE deployment is one of the areas his company was focused on following the allocations of LTE spectrums.

NetOne has signed on Huawei in a network upgrade contract, which also aims to build LTE cell towers.

“Spectrum has been allocated. NetOne is implementing LTE in a broader way as we want to implement LTE across the whole country,” he said.

Kangai added that the passive infrastructure for the deployment of LTE broadband has already been constructed.

He however said that Potraz, the telecom sector watchdog in Zimbabwe, had to play its role in facilitating the allocation of better spectrum platforms that enable easy deployment of services such as LTE.

“I would like to urge Potraz to do their planning in terms of revamping the frequency band to assist the mobile operators in terms of rolling out LTE network,” Kangai said.