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    GAIN to invest US$40m in Malawian operation

    Globally Advanced Integrated Networks (GAIN) received its mobile phone service operating licence on Monday, 30 March, 2009 from the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) and pledged to inject US$40m within the first five years into the operation.

    MACRA has given the company, which will be trading as G-Mobile, ten months to roll out its services or risk having the licence revoked.

    During the ceremony, MACRA Board chairperson Thengo Maloya took a swipe at existing mobile phone service providers, TNM and Zain Malawi for offering, what he refered to as, "sub-standard services."

    “Conditions for all phone operators in the country are clearly written in their licence and there should be no excuse for provision of compromised services to consumers,” he said.

    Maloya said MACRA knows that other countries are accessing much better services than in Malawi.

    “We will not tolerate Malawians to be robbed by paying for things they do not enjoy full benefits,” said Maloya.

    In reference to cheap mobile phone handsets from TNM and Zain that have flooded the market, the MACRA board chair warned that Malawi should not be turned into a dumping ground.

    About Gregory Gondwe

    Gregory Gondwe is a Malawian journalist who started writing in 1993. He is also a media consultant assisting several international journalists pursuing assignments in Malawi. He holds a Diploma and an Intermediate Certificate in Journalism among other media-related certificates. He can be contacted on moc.liamg@ewdnogyrogerg. Follow him on Twitter at @Kalipochi.
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