Zimbabwe has released draft regulations for infrastructure sharing in the telecommunications industry, although existing infrastructure with limited capacity may be exempt.

Infrastructure that telcos will be compelled to share include base transceiver stations, controllers, multi-service access gateways and switching centres - as well as mobile money transfer platforms and network management systems.

ICT Minister Supa Mandiwanzira @SupaCollinsM tweeted on Wednesday that the regulations would help "promote mobile financial services and new investment (in the sector) through infrastructure sharing" following the gazetting of the regulations this month.

"Any telecommunication licence holder who contravenes or fails to comply with the requirements of sections ... shall be guilty of an offence," states the regulations.

While the government is taking a hard-line stance on this, with Mandiwanzira saying there is no going back on regulation of infrastructure sharing, the draft regulations for enforcement of this provide some respite for existing infrastructure operators.

Although "the existing infrastructure was designed to accommodate an individual telecommunication licence holder" some of it may not "have capacity for sharing," reads an excerpt from the draft legislation.

The Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) will carry out an audit, in consultation with telecommunication licence holders, to determine existing infrastructure that can be shared and create a database of all sharable and non-sharable infrastructure.

"For sites with multiple infrastructure (towers) the Authority ... shall determine structures to be strengthened and decommissioned. The decommissioned infrastructure may be relocated to underserved areas and funded by the Universal Services Fund or may chose his/her own site(for) the relocation of which shall be at own cost," stated Potraz.