Zambia's Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) plans to construct 500 communication towers by the end of 2016 to boost rural mobile communication.

So far, ZICTA is constructing 169 across the country in order to enable villagers to communicate effectively.

ZICTA has awarded the project to construct the 169 towers to China’s Huawei Technologies.

The authority said however, that by the end of this year, there will be more than 204 communication towers constructed across the country adding that by the end of 2016, the number of towers will reach 500.

The towers will be shared among the country’s three mobile phone operators—MTN, Zamtel and Airtel.

The companies will be levied by ZICTA for using the towers. ZICTA claims that its aim is to ensure that mobile communication reaches remote rural areas of the country.

The project is also considered part of the country’s digital migration process as some of the towers will also be used by radio and television stations to transmit signals.

ZICTA director general Margaret Mudenda said the project to construct towers across the country has both financial and political backing from the Zambian government that wants to see the benefits of mobile communication reach remote rural areas.

“So far, 169 have been installed across the country to enable villagers to communicate effectively. By the end of 2014, there will be 204 towers,” Mudenda said.