MONGU — Zamtel has completed a 480-kilometre fibre optic extension linking Mongu to Lusaka via the national backbone, marking the largest single provincial connectivity project undertaken by the state-owned operator in five years.
Managing director Suveen Saxena said the link delivers up to 100 megabits per second to commercial customers and enables 4G backhaul for mobile towers across Western Province. Twelve schools and six rural health posts will receive subsidised connections through the Universal Access Fund.
Barotse Royal Establishment representative Induna Mwenda welcomed the project, noting improved communication for flood early-warning systems along the Zambezi floodplain. Local entrepreneurs hope reliable internet will boost tourism marketing for Liuwa Plain National Park.
Technology analysts compared the rollout favourably with private operator investments that have concentrated on Lusaka and the Copperbelt. Zamtel reported a 22 percent increase in fixed broadband subscriptions since 2024.
Maintenance crews will face challenges during the rainy season when access roads to aerial fibre segments become impassable. Zamtel pledged mobile repair units stationed in Kaoma and Senanga.
