Malawi ICT National policy to regulate use, quality of broadband -official
The Principal Secretary for Information Tourism and Culture, Chimwemwe Banda on Thursday emphasized that the national policy on Information Communication and Technology (ICT) is one way of making sure that Malawi has the quality broadband.
Banda made the remarks in Lilongwe when she opened a four day workshop on ICT under the theme ‘Universalizing broadband in Southern African Development Community’ (SADC).
The workshop which has been organised by the Communication Regulators Association Southern Africa (CRASA) has attracted participants from 13 SADC member states.
Banda noted that broadband and internet facilities are very important in the modern world and requires seriousness to ensure provision of good quality services.
“This is a cross cutting issue such that each government within the SADC region has promised to work hard towards having a quality broadband,’’ said Banda adding that Malawi has put in place a National policy to regulate the use of quality broadband.
On her part CRASA Head of Electronic Communications, Bridget Linzie said there is need for SADC member states to adopt the quality of the broadband because regulating bodies are receiving complaints of low quality services from consumers.
“Broadband is key for social and economic development of the country, hence the need for countries to adopt it and expand broadband policies to rural communities.
Linzie said countries such as Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Botswana are landlocked and pay heavily to access internet signals from neighbouring countries.
Said Linzie; “ This meeting provides a room for regulators to ensure that countries which are not along the African coast to get better internet services at a low price than what is happening now whereby they are paying a lot of money but still get low quality services.
