Vodacom keen to invest more in rural coverage, pledges new CEO
Incoming Vodacom Tanzania managing director Ian Ferrao (left) speaks to journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday. With him is his predecessor Rene Meza. PHOTO | EMMANUEL HERMAN
What you need to know:
Mr Ferrao, who was leading Vodacom Lesotho, replaces Mr Rene Meza.Mr Ferrao vowed to keep the company as Tanzania’s market leader by investing more in rural coverage and broadband connectivity.
Dar es Salaam. Vodacom Tanzania has introduced its new managing director Ian Ferrao who promised to accelerate the firm’s investment for expanding rural coverage.
Mr Ferrao, who was leading Vodacom Lesotho, replaces Mr Rene Meza.
Mr Ferrao vowed to keep the company as Tanzania’s market leader by investing more in rural coverage and broadband connectivity.
Tanzania has 33.18 million subscribers but Vodacom accounts for 37 per cent market share followed by Airtel at 29 per cent, Tigo at 28 per cent, Zantel at 5 per cent and TTCL at 1 per cent, according to the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) quarterly report for March 2015.
“Access to internet is becoming a human right; no longer a choice and operators have a role to play to make sure that Tanzanians are connected. I am a firm believer that technological innovation moves the world forward and I will ensure that Tanzania is not left behind,” said Mr Ferrao whose grandfather immigrated to Tanzania in 1952 and some of his family members were born in Dar es Salaam before relocating to the UK in 1970.
Vodacom announced earlier to spend $100 million for expanding its network this year to tap market potential in rural areas and add mobile-money subscribers.
According to him, Tanzania has many unique features of the telecommunications industry including successful mobile money system (M-Pesa), low interconnection rates and high entrepreneurial spirit.
“All these are opportunities for us to come up with innovations that will ensure online buying and digital content for the growing market,” he added.
Mr Meza, who joined Vodacom Tanzania in October 2011 as managing director, will become the chief executive officer of Ooredoo Myanmar on September 1, 2015.
During his tenure, Tanzania became the biggest M-Pesa customer base in the Vodacom Group, the company said.
Three mobile networks — Tigo, Airtel and Zantel —signed Africa’s first agreement to allow their customers in the country to send money to each other whether using Tigo Pesa, Airtel Money or EzyPesa on their mobile handsets.
Tigo and Airtel have already operationalised the interoperability and Mr Meza said the payment between Vodacom and Tigo would start soon.
