Published: 10 June 2013

The ministry of Transport will from June 30 2013, issue new 15 year licences under a Converged Licencing Framework at a fee of $180 million.

Under the current framework, operators are only allowed to work within the stipulations of their licences but the new licence would allow operators to make use of products and services not covered in their current licences.

Finance minister Tendai Biti said yesterday the licencing system will move away from the two systems; one for GSM-Mobile and Data services.

Currently the 15 year licences for GSM/Mobile and Fixed telecommunication are $100 million each, while that for Data services is $4 million for the 10 year period.

"The new legal framework will also cater for investors into Network Facilities licence and Network Services licence." The resources raised from this will be used to finance the elections.

He said negotiations were currently underway with the ministry concerned but urged that these should recognise international best practices and fairness to Zimbabwe

Biti also said CZI had approached him requesting that they participate through a bond issue to be taken up by some of its members; however negotiations were still at a preliminary stage. 
- TH

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