Telecel to Boost Coverage in Southern Zimbabwe:

Zimbabwe's Telecel says that it will focus on expanding its mobile network into the rural areas in the south of the country this year.

The mobile network operator is targeting the Matabeleland region, according to the operator's regional manager for the southern region, Nelson Chipangamate.

"We want to continue increasing our network to previously marginalised areas that had not enjoyed coverage. In the southern region, this year we are targeting to increase network coverage especially in Gwanda, Bulilima and Mangwe districts," he said.

The company first opened an office in Bulawayo in late 2012 and last year deployed 21 base stations in the area.

Telecel Launches Mobile Money Service in Zimbabwe:

Zimbabwe's Telecel has launched its own mobile money transfer service, branded as Telecash, which it said would allow subscribers to use mobile phones to send money to anyone on any network, pay bills and pay for groceries and other goods and services.

Telecel's chief commercial officer Ashraf El Guindy said the company was coming to the market with a strong product.

"We have associated ourselves with the best in the industry," he said, adding that Telecel's technical partner for Telecash was Obopay and that its banking partners included Afrasia, CBZ and ZimSwitch, which provides links with most of the country's banking institutions.

Zimbabwe's Telecel Denies It Failed to Renew Mobile License:

Zimbabwe's Telecel has denied reports that it has failed to make a payment to renew its mobile operating license, blaming the reports on a confusion about how the license is to be renewed.

The company confirmed that it is obliged to make a payment of US$137.5 million to renew its license for another 20 years. However, it also negotiated a deal to spread the payments over a number of years.

The company has made a down-payment of US$14 million, and says that it has bank records to show that the funds were received at the regulator.

The next payment is due this December.

Telecel has over 2.5 million subscribers.

Zimbabwe Phone Users Warned That Unregistered SIM Cards Will Be Cut Off:

Zimbabwe's Telecel had warned its subscribers that they have to register their prepaid SIM cards or face disconnection.

The move was in response to a regulatory requirement that all SIM cards are registered before 31st August.

"Any subscriber with an unregistered Sim card risks disconnection if he or she has not registered the line before August 31," Telecel Zimbabwe communications and branding director Mr Obert Mandimika said.

Customers can either contact the company directly, or visit a local retailer and are being required to provide their proof of ID.

There had been concerns that mandating phone registration was a move by the government to control communications and some people deliberately chose to delay their compliance until after the recent elections.