Vodacom Tanzania to roll out 4G in Zanzibar

Unguja. Zanzibar residents will start to access faster mobile telecommunication after Vodacom Tanzania announced a plan to roll out 4G network in the next one year.

This is part of the company’s plan to extend services to the Isles, according to managing director Hisham Hendi.

The 4G network is the fourth generation of broadband network technology, succeeding 3G.

Average 4G download speeds are between 8-and-10 megabites-per-second (Mbit/s), with possible instances of up to 40 Mbit/s.

Typical upload speeds are between 5-6Mbit/s, with possible instances of up to 15Mbit/s.

Mr Hendi said this during an event to celebrate Zanzibar’s heritage and culture, noting that the decision seeks to boost the firm’s strength in the Isles.

“Whenever I visit Zanzibar, I feel like I am at home in Egypt. It is a bit shameful when I come home and don’t see Vodacom as strong as it should be. This is why we are looking up to expanding our services in Zanzibar hopeful very soon,” said Mr Hendi.

The event, which took place at 6 Degrees South Restaurant, brought together more than 100 delegates, including government officials, members of the private sector and prominent members of the society.

It also aimed at celebrating the reputation of Zanzibar as a preferred tourist destination.

The 6 Degrees South Restaurant owner Saleh Said the decision to organise the event stemmed from his love for culture, food and music.

It was a night filled with joy and a famous Bongo Flava musician Ali Kiba made a surprise appearance at the glamorous event.

At around 9pm Kiba showed up from the VIP area - and went straight on stage.

As the crowd cheered up he greeted his fans and asked them which songs they wanted him to perform on that night.