Cell operator No 2 ‘ready to roll’

NAMIBIA’S second mobile phone company, PowerCom, yesterday sounded a message that it is ready to deliver the goods and provide customers with a choice of cellphone operators.

PowerCom was handed its licence by the Namibian Communications Commission (NCC) in Windhoek yesterday. Addressing journalists at a media briefing after the ceremony, PowerCom and TMP Director Mac Allman said PowerCom SIM cards would be available by December.If this comes to fruition, it would mean that the country’s current sole operator, Mobile Telecommunications (MTC), will get its first taste of competition from industry rivals within a few months.”PowerCom fully recognises that up to 50 per cent of annual sales are made globally every year during the Christmas holiday period.We do not believe this will be the exception in Namibia, especially with the introduction of competition.We’re going to work day and night, seven days a week, to try to have PowerCom SIM cards under as many Christmas tress as possible,” boasted Allman.However, he would not disclose how much would be invested or the exact date of implementation, saying these were ‘competitive issues’ which would remain a secret.PowerCom (Pty) Ltd was awarded Namibia’s second cellphone licence in April.TMP of Norway is PowerCom’s majority shareholder with a 39 per cent stake.Local power utility NamPower has a 37 per cent shareholding.Nammic, a company run by the national labour union federation, has 12 per cent, Old Mutual Namibia 10 per cent and a local education trust two per cent.PowerCom will bring in its own radio transmission equipment but will share transmission towers with MTC.Allman said his company would bring in new high-speed mobile telecommunications products like 3G and HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), which he said MTC did not have.The licence fees total N$65 million, of which N$2,5 million is payable on the commencement date or on the first anniversary date of the issue of the licence.Addressing journalists at a media briefing after the ceremony, PowerCom and TMP Director Mac Allman said PowerCom SIM cards would be available by December.If this comes to fruition, it would mean that the country’s current sole operator, Mobile Telecommunications (MTC), will get its first taste of competition from industry rivals within a few months.”PowerCom fully recognises that up to 50 per cent of annual sales are made globally every year during the Christmas holiday period.We do not believe this will be the exception in Namibia, especially with the introduction of competition.We’re going to work day and night, seven days a week, to try to have PowerCom SIM cards under as many Christmas tress as possible,” boasted Allman.However, he would not disclose how much would be invested or the exact date of implementation, saying these were ‘competitive issues’ which would remain a secret.PowerCom (Pty) Ltd was awarded Namibia’s second cellphone licence in April.TMP of Norway is PowerCom’s majority shareholder with a 39 per cent stake.Local power utility NamPower has a 37 per cent shareholding.Nammic, a company run by the national labour union federation, has 12 per cent, Old Mutual Namibia 10 per cent and a local education trust two per cent.PowerCom will bring in its own radio transmission equipment but will share transmission towers with MTC.Allman said his company would bring in new high-speed mobile telecommunications products like 3G and HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), which he said MTC did not have.The licence fees total N$65 million, of which N$2,5 million is payable on the commencement date or on the first anniversary date of the issue of the licence.