Beeline Telecom, which was awarded Zambia’s fourth mobile licence in February this year, will launch a commercial service by 30 June 2022, it has been revealed. An unnamed spokesperson from the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) told the Zambia Daily Mail that the start-up has struggled with ‘the procurement of equipment and installations’, which has delayed its launch plans.
At the time of the licence award, ZICTA warned the newcomer that it was obliged to launch within six months of receiving its licence (i.e. by August 2021), or risk forfeiting the concession. However, it now appears that the watchdog is prepared to take a more lenient stance towards Beeline’s rollout schedule.