Airtel Zambia service hampered by power outages

TELECOMS

By Edith Mwale, Lusaka, Zambia

The power shortage that Zambia is experiencing is hampering mobile operator Airtel from giving quality services, according to the company managing director Fayaz King.

King said power was a vital commodity in order to run the company's equipment, but that persistent power outages are preventing the company from providing quality services to its customers.

"The biggest issue we have is power. Without power, we cannot operate our IT department, our quality of service is dependent on power. Power is for us, what salt is to meat," King said.

King said the company has been noticing a four per cent drop in grid power and were forced to rely on their backup generators and battery power.

But despite having enough generators, King said acquiring and maintaining them was expensive.

King also said the company has been experiencing thefts of the batteries, which have been installed as backup to sustain the company during the power blackouts.

Customers of Airtel, Zambia’s largest network, have been up in arms against the company’s poor services.

Zambia is currently facing persistent power blackout attributed to high demand of grid power as the country’s economy grows steadily.