Minister sees Airtel’s 4G service changing mobile technology

Minister of Information and Communications Technology Nicholas Dausi has commended Airtel Malawi for introducing 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile technology, saying it will go a long way in revolutionalising mobile technology.

Speaking during the launch of Airtel Malawi’s fourth generation technology in Lilongwe on Friday, the minister noted that the use of smartphone is growing in Africa; hence, 4G technology enables users to experience increased speed and quality of Internet access.

“Malawi should not lag behind in terms of technology. The 4G will revolutinise communication and link Malawi with the rest of the world on new innovations coming up,” said Dausi.

He appealed to Airtel Malawi to ensure that Internet is affordable to many Malawians.

The country’s Internet penetration is less than five percent, according to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which makes Malawi one of the countries with the lowest penetration rates in the world.

Airtel Malawi managing director Charles Kamoto said the new 4G LTE technology will improve provision of service to its customers.

“The 4G LTE technology is a standard for wireless communication of high-speed data. It can also accommodate more applications,” he said.

The 4G coverage is accessible in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu. n