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Senior Business Writer

PowerTel Communications which is celebrating its silver jubilee has mastered the art of resilience and strongly adaptable to changing times and standing out from the competition, ZESA executive chairman, Dr Sydney Gata has said.

The Zesa subsidiary is responsible for telecommunications infrastructure development, virtual private networking, high-speed internet provision, the provision of the most affordable voice service, call center facilities, and pre-paid electricity aggregation.

In a statement marking 25 years of existance, Dr Gata said “Since inception in 1999, PowerTel Communications has mastered its dominance in the corporate sector, focusing on the provision of data communications infrastructure services through the use of cable, wireless and power line communications technologies.”

He noted that over time companies such as PowerTel have come to accept the importance of branding in their business operations.

“Whilst it holds true that the PowerTel Communications brand equity has increased with the passage of time, it is now apparent that the PowerTel brand, now 25 years old, has also evolved.

“Operating in a dynamic sector, PowerTel realizes the importance of being strongly adaptable to changing times and standing out from its competition,” added Dr Gata.

Marketing and Corporate Business Manager Mr Prosper Mutswiri said the initial connection established was the National Control Centre (NCC) at Zesa Head Office to Zimbabwe Power Company.

He noted that Dairibord was the first customer linking all its branches along the route from Harare to Bulawayo.

” It is also worth mentioning that Dairibord quickly grew into a strategic customer who at that time paid 950.000 Euros to purchase the terminal equipment that was then used to switch on the Harare – Bulawayo fibre, In 1999, PTC now TelOne became the biggest customer after signing carrier service (16Els) between Harare and Bulawayo.

“It should not go without mentioning other valued clients that believed in the brand and came onboard and these include KingCom (now known as Africom), Turnall Fibre, ZimBank (now ZB Bank), National Merchant Bank. Telco (Gweru). Zesa (Gweru), CABS (Gweru and High Glen), POSB, Olivine, Reliant Computers. Hunyani Pulp & paper. ZABG Trust, Time Bank, Trust Bank, Barbican Bank, Metropolitan Bank, StanChart, OK, COTTCO, Lyons Maid. Delta, GMB, ZFC. Zimphos, Amtec (Gweru), Danzingar & Associates, Microking (Gweru). Kingdom Securities, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, and Zimpapers to mention just but a few.”

He added “We are now at a moment in our history, where we’re not only providing connectivity but assurance of a more sustainable future to all our telecommunications customers as we advance our implementation of building blocks towards a smart grid.”