(Dar es Salaam) – Vodacom Tanzania, the leading telecommunications company in the country and a subsidiary of South Africa’s Vodacom Group, has begun an extensive upgrade of its network infrastructure. This move comes in response to recent internet disruptions that have affected its users. The company aims to resolve these issues by strengthening its network, improving charging systems, and expanding coverage to provide a more reliable and seamless internet experience.
The company’s infrastructure upgrade includes improvements to its network coverage, with a special focus on rural and underserved areas. This initiative also involves increasing the data capacity of the network through investments in fiber infrastructure and submarine cables. Additionally, Vodacom is expanding its 4G network to ensure faster and more dependable internet access. The telecommunications company is also modernizing its IT systems, including payment systems, to enhance security and operational efficiency.
Philip Besiimire, the Managing Director of Vodacom Tanzania, emphasized the company’s commitment to innovation and quality service delivery. “At Vodacom, we are committed to leading in innovation and continuously improving the quality of services we provide. To stay at the cutting edge of technology and offer our customers the best possible experience, we are investing in significant infrastructure upgrades across our network,” Besiimire said.
However, Besiimire acknowledged that the upgrade process may cause occasional disruptions as the new systems are integrated. “We apologise for any inconvenience and assure you that we are working diligently to keep disruptions to a minimum. This exercise is planned to conclude in a few weeks, after which we expect a stronger, more resilient network to benefit all our customers,” he added.
The decision to upgrade the network comes after a major internet disruption across East Africa that began on May 12, 2024, due to the failure of an undersea cable linking Mozambique and South Africa. Vodacom Tanzania, along with other service providers, was affected by the outage, but the company quickly restored connectivity and refunded customers whose services were disrupted.