Chinese telecommunications equipment firm Huawei has boosted its presence in Zimbabwe by setting up a support centre for a range of smartphones and tablets it launched in the country on Saturday.

Huawei smartphones and tablets are planned to be distributed in Zimbabwe in partnership with Econet Wireless, the country’s biggest telco, officials have said.

Other smartphone makers that have support and back-up in Zimbabwe include Samsung and Apple.

Huawei officially launched the Ascend P6, the Ascend Mate, the Ascend G510 and other smartphones and tablets in Zimbabwe on the weekend.

The Huawei Ascend P6, at just 6.18mm, is regarded as the ‘thinnest smartphone in the world’.

Ngonidzashe Magwendeza, a Zimbabwe country representative for Huawei, said the company’s support centre is expected to provide for the likes of accessories and allow for software upgrades.

“We now have a service centre in partnership with Econet. Any software updates and accessories will be available through the service centre,” said Magwendeza.

Roy Chitiza, an Econet official, said increasing uptake of emerging technologies in Zimbabwe has necessitated the addition of Huawei smartphones to the range of products the telco sells.

“It is important to have as many of our subscribers as possible to have the latest technology,” he said at the launch event in Harare.

Chitiza added that the company’s “drive is to have as many smart devices as possible” on the Zimbabwean market.

“Our phones have evolved from just being phones to becoming a part of our lives,” he said.

Another Huawei representative said Zimbabwe is an important and promising market for the company.