Paratus Zimbabwe has signed a deal with PowerTel to launch a new high-capacity national fiber network across the country.

The companies will create a new long-distance fiber network across Zimbabwe.

In an announcement this week, the local subsidiary of Paratus Group said the first phase of the rollout will start within the next six months, connecting Plumtree, Bulawayo, and Livingstone.

PowerTel, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) and is licensed to operate an optic fiber backbone network.

Earlier this year, Paratus was awarded its communications license in Zimbabwe.

PowerTel previously said in 2023 that it was investing $570 million over the next seven years to bolster broadband coverage and telecoms infrastructure across the country.

The companies said they will work together to invest equally in the roll-out of high-capacity fiber infrastructure across Zimbabwe and provide cross-border links to Zimbabwe’s neighboring countries. 

“This marks a major step forward in Zimbabwe’s digital transformation because this partnership will enable us to deliver on our mission to provide high-capacity and affordable connectivity to the people and enterprises of Zimbabwe," said Willard Nyagwande, acting MD of PowerTel Communications.

Martin Cox, Paratus Group’s chief commercial officer, added: “By extending our footprint into yet another African territory, we will bridge gaps between neighboring countries and further strengthen and widen our contiguous network offering."

Parent company Paratus Group operates four Tier III-quality data centers across southern Africa, located in Angola, Namibia, and Zambia.