Residents in remote areas that previously faced challenges with mobile communication are starting to benefit after the government and Vodacom Tanzania Plc have brought services closer to them.

These services are enabling them to communicate without the barriers that existed before, facilitating the sending, receiving, and transferring of money, as well as using high-speed internet for various purposes, thereby increasing the use of digital technology.

The Northern Region Head of Vodacom Tanzania Plc, George Venanty, speaking to this newspaper, stated that improvements in technology aimed at enhancing signal towers have increased communication access for many residents on the outskirts of regional headquarters.

"Alongside our strategy to ensure our customers receive high-quality services, Vodacom has taken steps to enhance our network. We have made improvements in various areas within our region, including the technology of our towers, with the goal of strengthening communication so that users can benefit from internet access," Venanty said.

He added that they have reached new areas and made enhancements in places that were already served to increase speed, benefiting users so they can take advantage of the company’s network.

He mentioned areas outside major towns like Arusha, Moshi, Babati, and Tanga that have benefited, including Maramba, Gomba, Mgagao, Monduli, and Baray, where communication technology has been upgraded to enhance capacity so customers can enjoy better digital services and higher speeds.

The Northern Region Head stated that these successes have been achieved in collaboration with the government of the United Republic of Tanzania through the Universal Communications Service Access Fund (UCSAF), referring to agreements signed in the presence of the President in May 2023 in Dodoma as part of the Digital Tanzania Project.

"When we say Vodacom leads in high-speed network, we mean these ongoing efforts in collaboration with our government, where we have been assessing the needs of users, who are our customers. This step has helped to provide quality services to users in areas where there are many users compared to capacity," Venanty said.

Venanty mentioned that in areas that previously had no communication services at all, they have collaborated with the government to ensure that anyone who wants to communicate can do so without barriers, citing some of those areas as Gerai, Kimokouwa, Burka, Songoro, Olmot, Terrat, Enduimet, Kirua Vunjo, Leguruki, Maweni, Mabogini, and Esiralei.

In another development, the Northern Region Manager mentioned that Vodacom users are benefiting from various prizes through the ongoing campaign ‘Ni Balaa! Kila mtu ni mshindi’ (It’s a Blast! Everyone is a Winner), which includes cash prizes awarded weekly and monthly. The main winners in this campaign will also recommend schools that the company will support with library improvements to enhance education in those areas. So far, four main winners have emerged, with one from Arusha taking home 20 million shillings while choosing Muriet Primary School as the beneficiary of library improvements.

He urged customers to continue using the company’s products and services to enjoy and win valuable prizes, including cash amounts of up to 20 million shillings.