Econet Wireless plans to install 550 new bases stations to improve 5G coverage in Zimbabwe.

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe plans to establish 550 new base stations, in the coming months, as it accelerates 5G penetration. The telco also revealed that it has been using artificial intelligence (AI) to help improve network coverage.

The country’s largest mobile network operator revealed the new base stations will be in addition to the modernisation of some 1 012 sites with 4G high-capacity base stations, which has taken place over the past 12 months.

The majority of these base stations are in the capital, Harare, and the second city, Bulawayo, as well as the whole of Manicaland region, east of Zimbabwe.

“Our modernisation efforts will continue with another 550 base station sites planned across the country,” said James Myers, chair, Econet.

“Our strategic partnerships with key equipment vendors have enabled us to accelerate our current network modernisation programme, after several years of underinvestment, due to limited foreign currency availability,” he said.

Presenting the company’s annual report for 2024, Myers revealed that the country’s Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ) had provided Econet Wireless spectrum within the 700MHz frequency band.

“This investment has enhanced our quality of service and also increased network coverage,” he said.

On the subject of AI, Myers said it has become an integral part of Econet operations.

“For the year under review, we significantly accelerated the use of AI tools to improve operational efficiency, optimise our business and provide superior customer experiences.”

Econet reports it deployed algorithms that enhance its ability to segment customers and offer highly personalised experiences, resulting in increased customer activity ratios.

The integration of intelligent recommendation engines and predictive models into its daily operations, enabled it to deliver a 47% growth in usage in the voice segment, he said.

Econet has declared and paid an interim dividend of US$0,55 per share for the financial year ended February 29, 2024.