Vodacom Tanzania

Vodacom Tanzania

Vodacom Tanzania Limited is Tanzania's leading cellular network company. As of May 18, 2010, Vodacom Tanzania had over eight million customers and became the largest wireless telecommunications network in Tanzania (based on total wireless customers). Vodacom Tanzania is the second telecom company in Africa, after Vodacom, to switch on its 3G High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) which was available only in Dar Es Salaam in early 2007.

The company has been using some Swahili slang to coin and market its products such as VodaFasta, VodaFlava, Nipige Tafu, Habari Ndio Hio and Kama Kawa (Kama Kawaida). Historically, they have also pioneered new features; they were the first and exclusive Tanzanian carrier to launch video call, video messaging and 3G HSDPA USB Modem. As of January 11, 2008, Vodacom Tanzania was again the first and exclusive company to provide a free E-mail ID via a phone number.

The company was created in late 1999 as a subsidiary company of Vodacom based in South Africa. Vodacom Tanzania is a joint venture in which Vodacom Group owns a majority share portion of about 65%, the remaining portion is owned by Tanzanian shareholders that include Mirambo.By August 2000, the company completed its GSM infrastructure and went live on August 14, 2000. Vodacom Tanzania announced officially its commercial operations on August 15, 2000. Vodacom Tanzania became the largest mobile operator in the country within one year of launching and remains the largest mobile communications network operator in Tanzania up to date.

Vodacom Tanzania has its executive headquarters on the 14th Floor of the PPF Towers on Garden Avenue / Ohio Street in Dar Es Salaam and maintains operational and engineering branches in all regions of Tanzania. The company has active roaming agreements with many network operators in the world that include T-Mobile USA, Inc in USA, vodafone Ltd in UK and BPL Cellular (now Vodafone) in Kerala, India. The company distributes its products and services through a number of Super dealers and Vodashops. Vodacom is an acceptable short name for the company within the country.