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By Ross Moyo
Econet Wireless Zimbabwe (EWZ) which grew its footprint across the globe including Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL), has increased its active 5G sites from 54 to a staggering 149, leveraging the powerful 700MHz spectrum.
Its frequency band, prized for its broad coverage and deep signal penetration, is expected to accelerate rural and urban access to next-generation services.
Lesotho Econet’s Chief Executive Officer, Dennis Plaatjies, underscored the strategic vision behind the transformation.
“This network evolution is not merely about replacing hardware, but building a foundation for inclusive digital growth. We are building a network that supports everything from education to e-commerce and beyond,” he said.
Speaking About the upgrade, it is underway since February 2025 and continuing through July, began in Maseru and is being executed in phases to ensure service continuity.
Its Legacy systems are being replaced with high-performance radio units, while the backbone transport infrastructure is reinforced to accommodate growing data demand.
The enhanced 5G network already spans all 10 districts of Lesotho — a national first.
The Strive Masiyiwa owned company Coverage now includes major towns such as Maseru, Leribe, Mafeteng, Quthing, and Butha-Buthe, with improved performance expected to ease congestion, boost data speeds, and elevate voice quality.
“This is about future-proofing our country’s digital fabric,” said Plaatjies.
“By expanding our core network capacity and modernizing our infrastructure, we are not only delivering better connectivity but enabling Lesotho’s digital economy to thrive.”
Econet is making use of The power of AI, because As part of the modernization, the upgraded network is being equipped with advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities.
Such AI-driven systems will optimize network performance in real-time, predict and prevent potential faults, and enhance service delivery.
With AI embedded into its infrastructure, Econet is taking a proactive approach to network reliability and customer experience, ensuring the network evolves intelligently alongside user needs.
This project falls under Econet’s broader mission to drive innovation, resilience, and equitable digital access.
Blatantly As more sectors of society rely on fast and stable internet, from online learning to telehealth, Econet’s investment ensures no corner of the kingdom is left behind.
Blatantly Econet has incread the 5G sites from 54 to 149 leveraging 700MHZ spectrum in Lesotho supercharging Lesotho’s digital future with sweeping network overhaul.
This is a bold stride toward nationwide digital empowerment, as Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL) has launched an extensive network upgrade campaign designed to significantly enhance connectivity across Zimbabwe’s neighbor.
This initiative positions Econet at the forefront of digital infrastructure innovation in the Mountain Kingdom.
Central to the upgrade is the expansion of Econet’s 5G footprint.
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