Malawi needs reliable ICT service providers—minister
Minister of Information, Communications Technology and Civic Education Patricia Kaliati has said the country needs reliable mobile and ICT service providers to ensure that government and the private sector function optimally.
“Government realises that Malawi is at a turning point. We need reliable mobile and ICT service providers for both government and private sector operations to function optimally.
“Capital Hill is looking internally to improve its delivery through current reforms underway,” said the minister on Friday when she opened TNM’s flagship Business Services Suite and 4G network at Bingu International Convention Centre (Bicc) in Lilongwe.
The suite has been designated to host and support a number of innovative and cutting-edge communication technologies and services such as call centre and video conferencing that TNM has ventured into.
Kaliati urged the private sector to do their part and join government in improving service delivery across all the sectors by introducing innovative technological services which TNM has done.
“By opening this suite, it will surely go a long way to support the government’s economic growth agenda. TNM has worked day and night to ensure communication and ICT needs of customers are rightly addressed.
“We commend TNM for taking the lead by investing in advanced technologies and telecoms infrastructure,” said Kaliati.
TNM plc chief executive officer Douglas Stevenson said the launch of new services will transform how people do business and also how Internet should work in the country.
He said: “By officially launching the Fourth Generation, Long-Term Evolution [LTE] platform, Internet will become real for our customers and it is the first of its kind in Malawi, and TNM customers become the first to benefit from the efficiency and convenience that it spurs.”
“4G-LTE is the most recent technology in the telecommunication industry. Worldwide, only 15 countries are known to have a penetration rate of above 74 percent of this technology. With it, TNM is taking Malawi to the next frontier where mobile technology is a well of possibility and an enabler.”
On E-government, Stevenson said with the public service reforms currently underway, government can count on TNM as its mobile network and ICT partner in e-government implementation. n
