By Steven Godfrey Mkweteza
A newly introduced telecommunications and internet services provider, Zero2, has been launched in the country to support the low income earners.
Speaking in a media interview during the launch of the company in Blantyre on Thursday, the managing director for the company, Faizal Okhai said the brand is a new dawn of telecommunications and internet services for Malawians.
Okhai added that the birth of a telecommunications brand is a significant milestone for customers and the people of Malawi since the company will be committed enough to propel the country forward.
“Our aim is to be the driving force behind affordable and accessible constant connectivity solutions that empower malawians, ensuring they remain seamlessly linked, no matter where they are in the country,” he said.
Okhai said the brand will be available to all Malawians with the main target of reaching the low and middle income Malawians who needed affordable and high quality communications for the development.
According to him, the company has so far invested over MK15 billion put in building the new state of the art GSM and 4G LTE network infrastructure.
On his part, Minister of information and digitalization, Moses Kunkuyu, underlined the need for continuous investment in the technology sector in the country because it is the catalyst for economic development.
Kunkuyu said inorder for the country to achieve its vision for 2063, technology would play a critical role.
” This is why the government is providing an enabling environment for private sector investors so that they can flourish and provide affordable and high quality services to malawians,” the minister said.
Kunkuyu further said his ministry will intensify the efforts of lobbying the telecommunications and internet service providers to lower the cost so as to make many Malawians access the services in the digital world.
Commenting on the development, one of the customers Paul Sikwese, applauded the company for the kind gesture of putting Malawians at the core of their business.
“With these economic hardships that many people are currently facing, this initiative will help to cushion their livelihoods and help to promote the communication sector as many people will have accessible and affordable services,”said Sikwese.
As part of the launch, Zero2 offered unlimited free on-net calls for one year to special 0222 Gold numbers that are connecting, plus unlimited free whatsapp for one year. The SIM card comes with free K500 credit.
Currently, the network coverage for the company includes areas such as Blantyre, Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Zomba, Thyolo, Mulanje, Mwanza, Liwonde, Balaka, Mangochi and Salima.
