Paratus Zimbabwe, PowerTel strike milestone deal

Signing the landmark deal (from left): Martin Cox, Chief Commercial Officer of Paratus Group, and Willard Nyagwande, Acting MD of PowerTel Communications.

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Paratus Zimbabwe, a subsidiary of Paratus Group, has today signed a major deal with PowerTel to launch a new high-capacity national fibre network across Zimbabwe.

PowerTel is the wholly owned subsidiary of Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) and is licensed to operate an optic fibre backbone network. Paratus Zimbabwe, a subsidiary of Paratus Group, was awarded its communications licence in Zimbabwe earlier this year. Together, the partners will combine their strengths and invest equally in the roll-out of high-capacity fibre infrastructure to create a new long-distance fibre network across Zimbabwe and provide cross-border links to Zimbabwe’s neighbouring countries. The first phase of the roll-out within the next six months will be to connect Plumtree, Bulawayo and Livingstone.

Acting MD of PowerTel Communications, Willard Nyagwande, says: “This marks a major step forward in Zimbabwe’s digital transformation because this partnership will enable us to deliver on our mission to provide high capacity and affordable connectivity to the people and enterprises of Zimbabwe. We are proud to be working with Paratus Zimbabwe and to be creating a resilient national long-distance backbone.”

Paratus Group’s Chief Commercial Officer, Martin Cox, concurs: “This is very good news for Zimbabwe, and we are delighted to be partnering with PowerTel to bring about this landmark deal. Paratus Zimbabwe will be offering an unmatched service through the Paratus Group’s quality network. By extending our footprint into yet another African territory, we will bridge gaps between neighbouring countries and further strengthen and widen our contiguous network offering.

“The Paratus Group is at the centre of Africa's digital revolution, driving and reshaping connectivity across the continent. We are building networks and creating the digital arteries that will connect more and more people in Africa and give them the service and the support they need to realise their individual and collective potential.”