Telekom Malaysia - Huawei

Developing a sustainable
business in Zambia
Zambia has a total land area on par with
Turkey, but a population on par with
Istanbul (roughly 13 million), yielding
a population density in the bottom
20% of global countries (18 people per square
km). This, combined with Zambia’s undeveloped
economy and high unemployment rate, makes
high-quality telecom service provision challenging.
Barriers such as import duties and taxes on SIM
cards, along with high airtime and handset prices,
further hinder local telcos.
In 2005, Huawei was certified as a strategic
partner by the MTN Group; both partners
signed an agreement for provision of products
and services. This happened in the same year that
MTN entered the Zambian market. Since then,
it has cooperated with Huawei every step of the
way, including network & terminal equipment
provision, turnkey projects, and managed services.
MTN had very ambitious plans in Zambia and
through persistent implementation of its strategy,
the operator has managed to exceed expectations.
It has netted over 2.2 million customers and
covered all 73 districts of Zambia, accounting for
80 percent of the population, while increasing
the base station number nine fold and doubling
the percentage of the total population covered,
from a minority to the majority, as of mid-2011.
The operator also deployed service centers and
other outlets in all nine provinces, totaling over
24,000 points of presence. Finally, MTN is the first
operator in Zambia to offer convergent billing and
the first mobile operator to have implemented an
international gateway and HSPA on EASSy cable.
“The MTN brand is exceptionally strong in
Zambia and is here to stay,” said Farhad Khan,
CEO of MTN Zambia. “It is a brand that aims
to enhance the lives of the people it connects. It
is recognized by the public for its global brand
stature, as well as the fact that it is a pure African
brand.” Khan added that MTN Zambia is
known and respected for its quality network, low
occurrence of dropped calls and ease of setting up
calls. “We have been making telecommunication
more affordable by offering real value for money
and Zambians have rewarded us by subscribing
to our network. No surprise that we are Zambia’s
fastest growing network!”
Managed services enhance
business efficiency
Globally, MTN has reached a stage where
efficiency and optimization are key to future
growth. In its drive for efficiency, MTN is
not merely focused on costs, but also a clear
understanding and identification of holistic cost
drivers, as well as process efficiencies. In this
context, it was a strategic decision taken by MTN
Zambia, in conjunction with the MTN Group, to
employ managed services. In a 2010 trial project,
where Huawei built and maintained 169 sites,
Huawei exceeded expectations by delivering the
The MTN brand is exceptionally strong in Zambia and is here to
stay. It is a brand that aims to enhance the lives of the people
it connects. It is recognized by the public for its global brand
stature, as well as the fact that it is a pure African brand.
— Farhad Khan, CEO of MTN Zambia
DEC 2011
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