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Powertel Communications and Paratus Zimbabwe have activated the first phase of a cross-border fiber-optic network linking Zimbabwe to the wider Southern African region, marking the first operational milestone of a public-private partnership aimed at expanding high-capacity digital infrastructure.
The newly commissioned Plumtree-Bulawayo route is now carrying live traffic, creating the first Paratus-connected fiber corridor into Zimbabwe and forming part of a broader network that will connect Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa. The project is designed to strengthen regional internet resilience, improve cross-border connectivity and position Zimbabwe as a strategic telecommunications gateway in Southern Africa.
The deployment is the first tangible outcome of a public-private partnership signed in June 2025 between Powertel Communications, Zimbabwe’s licensed national carrier and telecommunications subsidiary of ZESA Holdings, and Paratus Zimbabwe. Under the agreement, the companies are jointly investing in long-distance fiber infrastructure, with Powertel contributing its nationwide fiber backbone while Paratus provides capital, continental network reach and technical expertise.
The first operational segment is equipped with an initial capacity of 800 gigabits per second using Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) technology and is scalable to more than 10 terabits per second as regional demand increases.
A second phase extending the network from Bulawayo to Livingstone, Zambia, is scheduled to become operational in September, completing a strategic three-country digital corridor linking Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
“This project demonstrates how innovative partnership structures can accelerate national infrastructure development,” Powertel Managing Director Willard Nyagwande said. He said the network remains planned, built, owned and operated by Powertel, while the long-term Indefeasible Right of Use (IRU) agreement with Paratus provides the commercial framework needed to attract investment without relinquishing ownership or operational control of the national asset.
Nyagwande said the financing model allows Zimbabwe to retain regulatory oversight while leveraging private-sector capital and expertise to expand critical digital infrastructure.
Paratus Group Chief Commercial Officer Martin Cox said the live deployment delivers on the company’s vision of establishing the first high-capacity digital corridor connecting Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
“Integrating Zimbabwe into the Paratus network extends our contiguous Southern African footprint and creates more resilient connectivity for businesses, service providers and communities across the region,” Cox said, adding that the company intends to develop additional cross-border routes as it expands its continental network.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Tinashe Yafele, Head of Cluster: Energy and Trading, described the project as a significant milestone in Zimbabwe’s digital transformation strategy.
Yafele said the infrastructure supports the country’s Vision 2030 agenda and National Development Strategy by strengthening the digital backbone required for commerce, financial services, education, healthcare, e-government and industrial development. He urged the partners to complete the remaining phases of the corridor to further enhance Zimbabwe’s competitiveness and regional integration.
Construction on the Bulawayo-Livingstone section is already underway and is expected to be completed during the next quarter. Once fully operational, the Botswana-Zimbabwe-Zambia corridor is expected to provide additional network redundancy, improve regional data flows and support growing demand for cloud services, artificial intelligence applications and digital commerce across Southern Africa.
The project also showcases an infrastructure-sharing investment model that both companies say could be replicated to accelerate future telecommunications development across the region.
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