The successful opening of World Mobile’s commercial telecom network in Zanzibar has been announced. Zanzibaris can now take use of mobile data that is 50% less expensive than the national average, thanks to World Mobile’s formal launch in the East African region.
The release of World Mobile’s Android app on Google Play has helped the company move from a proof of concept to a business model. The Android app offers users a platform to generate a self-sovereign identity, streamline data bundle management, and access a variety of value-added services.
World Mobile CEO Micky Watkins said: “Today marks a significant milestone for World Mobile as we proudly announce the successful commercial transition of our network in Zanzibar. We are thrilled to welcome our first paying customers and embark on a journey to connect the unconnected, empowering individuals across Africa and beyond.”
As part of its dedication to creating an open sharing economy, World Mobile updated its network explorer, WMTScan, after switching to a commercial model. This update now displays the highest-earning AirNodes.
Zanzibar has had a high demand for World Mobile’s reasonably priced mobile data service, with 1,000 new subscribers joining each week and a peak daily user count of 16,000 in May 2023. This is a noteworthy accomplishment for the 1.8 million-person Tanzanian archipelago.
The proof of concept network was first made accessible through World Mobile’s network of AirNodes as a subsidised test service. Due to the shortcomings of current suppliers, World Mobile decided to test its hybrid connectivity network in the semi-autonomous region. Tanzania has a 46% internet penetration rate, with urban regions having the most connectivity. These difficulties harm the economy because they make it difficult for enterprises to engage in the digital economy fully.
By first creating a sharing economy that would pay for the installation of telecommunications infrastructure in rural Africa and elsewhere, World Mobile hopes to solve a problem that has caught the attention of digital titans like Google and Facebook. The service offered by World Mobile offers connectivity at a price several times lower than that of conventional mobile network carriers.