Basic Profile & History

Full name: Vodacom Tanzania Public Limited Company

Headquarters: Vodacom House, Ursino Estate, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Founded: Late 1999 as a subsidiary of Vodacom Group

Ownership: Subsidiary of Vodacom Group (majority-owned by Vodafone)

Stock Exchange: Listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange under the ticker VODA.tz

Scale & Market Position

One of the largest telecom providers in Tanzania

Holds a significant share of the mobile market, often regarded as the market leader

Employs several hundred people across Tanzania

Services & Offerings

Vodacom Tanzania provides a wide range of services:

Mobile voice & data: Traditional mobile services including calls, SMS, and internet data bundles

Broadband internet: 4G/LTE nationwide coverage with expansion into more remote regions

Enterprise solutions: Fixed data, connectivity, and networking for businesses

Mobile financial services (M-Pesa): A cornerstone of their business, enabling mobile money transfers, payments, and deposits

Digital & value-added services: Messaging, entertainment, mobile health, and education services

Data center & cloud: Hosting and infrastructure solutions for corporate clients

Recent Strategic Moves

Expanded high-speed internet to rural and underserved areas through fiber infrastructure and partnerships

Acquired Smile Communications Tanzania to boost spectrum and network capacity

Leadership changes, including new Managing Director appointed in 2022

Initiatives for social inclusion and accessibility, including services tailored for people with disabilities

Challenges

Extending reliable coverage in rural and remote areas, where infrastructure is costly

Transitioning to next-generation technology like 5G, which is not yet widely deployed

Facing competition from other telecom operators such as Airtel and Tigo

Navigating regulatory requirements and spectrum licensing

Balancing large infrastructure investment costs with affordability for customers