Loose Movitel cables: A latent danger on the streets of Maputo
Movitel, one of Mozambique's three main mobile network operators, has recently found itself at the center of controversy due to the disarray in its installation of fiber-optic cables, which has marred the urban landscape of Maputo.
Since entering the market in 2011, the company has expanded its services significantly, but its recent push to provide internet through fiber optics has brought significant issues to light.
Movitel's cables are haphazardly strung across the poles of Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) along the city's major avenues, particularly on Avenida Guerra Popular. This situation compromises public safety, with cables often dragging on the ground, posing a serious risk of accidents.
The Maputo municipality, through its infrastructure department, informed TORRE.News that Movitel does not have authorization to install or maintain the cables under the current conditions.
Inocêncio Bernardo, the municipality's infrastructure director, stated that contact has already been made with the company to address the removal or reorganization of the cables, but so far, the situation remains unchanged.
The city council argues that the ideal solution would be for Movitel to use an underground cabling system, as other telecommunications companies do, to preserve public safety and the city's aesthetics.
However, Movitel has relied on an agreement with EDM to use their power transmission poles, which increases the risk of electric shocks, as the internet cables could be mistaken for electrical wires.
TORRE.News reached out to Movitel for a response on the matter, but as of the time of publication, the company had not commented. Until the cables are properly reorganized, Maputo will continue to suffer from this issue, which not only harms the city's image but also poses ongoing safety concerns, while Movitel continues to profit from its service expansion.
