Malawi's third cell operator promises to focus on network quality and coverage

Malawi's third mobile network operator, Globally Advanced Integrated Networks (Gain), says it is scouting for strategic investors and intends rolling out its network in May next year.

Gain will be using Space Division Multiple Access (SDMA) technology.

"SDMA uses multiple antennas and has an extended base station range, increased system capacity and [better] signal quality than Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technology, which is prone to network congestion," says Gain director Kalilani.

He adds that, apart from competing with the existing operators, which mainly cater for the urban areas, Gain will focus on rural areas and other places with no network coverage.

"We want to ensure that we have no cases of dropped calls due to pressure on the machines. We will, therefore, make sure that we have enough capacity to provide high-quality and affordable services," says Kalilani.

Peter Lamplough, who is also a Gain director, comments that final negotiations on the licence conditions between the company and the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) are currently under way and should be finalised by December.

"We are in the process of assembling a highly trained technical team, which is well versed in the technology, to roll out the network," says Lamplough.

There have been complaints from Malawian mobile phone users about network congestion, which the existing mobile operators attribute to the ever increasing number of subscribers.

The existing mobile phone network operators are pan-African mobile operator Zain and TNM, which is owned by Press Corporation.

Gain was awarded the licence to operate the country's third mobile phone network ahead of the US-based Millennium Global Telecom and South Africa-based Econet Wireless.

Meanwhile, Macra says it is assessing bids for the fourth cellular network, with the winner expected to be named before the end of the year.

Malawi has one of the lowest cellular phone penetration rates in Africa, with a mere 7% of the population having access to cellular phone services.

On the fixed-line front, the Malawi government has granted a second licence to a consortium of African investors known as Access Communications Limited (ACL).

ACL, which is preparing to roll out its network, will compete with Malawi Telecommunications Limited (MTL), which the government handed over to a consortium comprising Malawi's Press Corporation, as an equity partner; Germany's Detecon, as a technical partner; and South Africa's Development Bank of Southern Africa and Standard Bank, as financial partners.