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The Government has approved a comprehensive review of licences, levies, permits and fees in Zimbabwe’s telecommunications and broadcasting sectors, a move aimed at reducing operational costs for service providers and ultimately lowering the cost of data and voice services for consumers.
Cabinet’s decision will see a broad reassessment of charges across key broadcasting sub-sectors, including campus and community radio stations, free-to-air, provincial, local and commercial radio services, commercial television operators, signal carrier services and satellite broadcasting. In parallel, the telecommunications review will cover mobile network operators, fixed telephone service providers and internet service providers, all of whom form the backbone of the country’s digital ecosystem.
Government has acknowledged that some of the existing fees and levies in both sectors are currently on the higher side, placing a significant financial burden on operators. This cost pressure, authorities note, has a direct impact on pricing models, innovation capacity and service expansion, with knock-on effects for businesses and ordinary consumers who rely heavily on affordable connectivity.
The review is positioned as a deliberate tax policy intervention designed to strike a balance between easing costs for operators and users while safeguarding sustainable revenue streams for the fiscus. By rationalising charges, authorities expect the reforms to contribute to more affordable data and voice services, improved sector competitiveness and accelerated digital inclusion.
In addition to revising fee structures, Government will move to streamline duplicative and overlapping licences and permits that have historically complicated compliance and increased costs. Further refinements and stakeholder consultations will be undertaken by the Ministries of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services; Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services; and Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, before the final framework is submitted to Cabinet for approval.
The initiative marks a significant policy shift at a time when telecommunications and broadcasting are increasingly central to economic growth, innovation and access to information, reinforcing Government’s intent to align regulatory costs with the realities of a fast-evolving digital economy.
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