HARARE – Telecoms regulator POTRAZ has issued IMC Communications, owned by maverick businessman Wicknell Chivayo, with an internet service provider (ISP) licence.
The move clears the way for the company to pursue a partnership with SpaceX’s satellite internet service provider Starlink as a reseller of its products in Zimbabwe.
The company becomes one of several ISPs that have been granted the licence with an eye on scoring deals with Starlink, which is now approved in Zimbabwe.
IMC chairman Wilson Manase said their target was to “play a pivotal role in Zimbabwe’s digital transformation journey.”
“As we roll out our services, we are fully committed to meeting and exceeding the service standards set by POTRAZ, ensuring that every Zimbabwean has access to reliable, affordable and innovative ICT services,” he said.
Among ISP service providers approved as local partners by Starlink is the state-owned TelOne, which already provides fibre-based broadband internet services.
Starlink has set the price for its hardware at $350 with an unlimited monthly subscription of $50. A lighter package for its Statlink Mini has hardware costs of $200 and a subscription of $30 per month.
The prize for Zimbabwean firms is winning contracts to supply government departments with the Starlink gizmos.
Manase said: “Our network infrastructure will enhance digital connectivity and support the rapid growth of e-commerce, e-government and digital entrepreneurship which are key drivers of growth in the modern economy.”
Starlink, which utilises satellites deployed in low orbit, is seen as a game changer in Zimbabwe which has a large rural population without access to internet services.
Before Starlink’s licencing, Zimbabwe had some of the most expensive internet services in Africa. The company’s arrival has forced mobile phone companies and broadband service providers to revise their prices downwards.
