BY SHARON BUWERIMWE THE Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) yesterday launched the Telecommunications Traffic Monitoring and Revenue Assurance System (TTMS) to curb financial leakages at mobile service providers.
The system, which enables Potraz to obtain accurate financial declarations from mobile service providers, was developed through a revenue assurance company called Global Voice Group.
Speaking at the launch, Information Communication Technology and Courier Services minister Jenfan Muswere said the system would also help the authority deal with disputes on national interconnection, should they arise.
“Accurate statistics are key for informed decisionmaking and policy formulation,” Muswere said.
“As the adage goes ‘If you cannot measure It, you cannot make it grow’, the TTMS provides government with the capability to measure and compute various statistics on both domestic and international telecommunication traffic. Government will leverage this capability in coming up with growth-oriented policies and in ensuring that no one is left behind. Our submissions to the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) will also be based on accurate, relevant, and credible data and national statistics,” the minister added.
Potraz director-general Gift Machengete said TTMS would also be used to control fraudulent activities in the telecommunication sector.
Keep Reading
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
“The TTMS is a highly advanced regulatory tool which puts Potraz in a better position to combat such network fraud in addition to enforcing billing integrity and revenue assurance. The use of the TTMS is, therefore, highly beneficial to operators, consumers and the government alike, hence our excitement to have it commissioned finally,” he said.
Government has recently been tightening screws on revenue leakages in order to enhance tax collection.
The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority recently launched a system called “Tourism Satellite Account,” which helps it track all revenue flowing into the industry.
The system has been on the cards for more than a decade.
- Follow us on Twitter@NewsDayZimbabwe