Persistent Blackouts Plague Zambia's Telecom Sector
In the heart of Africa, Zambia is grappling with an energy crisis that is taking a toll on its telecommunications sector. The Global System for Mobile Association of Zambia (GSMAZ) has raised concerns about the negative impact these outages are having on the sector's ability to provide quality services.
The energy crisis in Zambia is not an isolated issue. It is a common challenge faced by telecom operators across Africa. The telecom industry, with over 3,500 combined tower sites connected to the national grid, is particularly vulnerable to these power disruptions.
The GSMAZ, in collaboration with various stakeholders, is working diligently to develop sustainable solutions. Medium to long-term measures being considered include solar-based backup solutions to enhance energy resilience. The exact names of the telecommunication technologies under consideration include SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems and IoT (Internet of Things) communication protocols such as LTE and LoRaWAN.
The telecom industry's predicament underscores the critical role it plays in enabling economic growth and social development. Mobile network operators are facing substantial cost increases due to the need for constant refueling and more frequent servicing of backup generators.
Climate change is at the heart of this environmental crisis. It is impacting energy production and distribution, necessitating the telecommunications industry to adapt and innovate. The GSMAZ emphasized that Zambia is experiencing its worst climate change effects in the last 60 years of independence.
Across Africa, telecom operators are grappling with similar power supply challenges and implementing innovative solutions. In South Africa, MTN SA invested significantly in 2023 to move its base stations off-grid, while Vodacom SA entered into a "virtual wheeling agreement" with Eskom.
The root cause of these power cuts can be traced back to January 2023, when severe climate change and unpredictable weather events led to a drastic reduction in water levels at Lake Kariba. This resulted in a significant decrease in electricity generation capacity for both Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The situation has deteriorated further, with current load shedding periods extending up to 13 to 14 hours daily. MTN Zambia, Airtel Zambia, and Zamtel, which collectively form the GSMAZ, have issued a joint statement highlighting the detrimental effects of power cuts lasting more than four hours.
Finding sustainable solutions to the energy crisis will be crucial for maintaining connectivity and supporting economic progress in Zambia. These initiatives demonstrate proactive approaches being taken by telecom operators across the continent to address power supply challenges. The telecom sector, in the face of adversity, is demonstrating resilience and innovation, ensuring that they continue to provide essential services to their customers.
