ZedMobile Went From 1 Million Subscribers to Losing Its Licences — What Happened?

Last updated: 20 September 2026 ZedMobile entered Zambia's telecommunications market with big ambitions. It was a locally owned challenger entering a market dominated by much larger operators, promising nationwide 4G connectivity, affordable services and eventually 5G. In August 2025, just one year after beginning commercial operations, ZedMobile celebrated reaching one million subscribers. A little over a year later, its network and service licences have been cancelled. So what happened? FROM BEELINE TO ZEDMOBILE ZedMobile is the trading name of Beeline Telecoms Limited. Beeline received its network and service licences from the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority, ZICTA, in February 2021. The ZedMobile brand was publicly introduced later, with the company positioning itself as a Zambian-owned telecommunications network. Commercial operations eventually began in 2024 using the 098 number range. THE $400 MILLION AMBITION When ZedMobile commercially launched in August 2024, its managing director said the company had invested US$400 million in building the network. The company planned to expand sites around the country and compete in Zambia's growing mobile and internet market. Its strategy included nationwide 4G coverage for data and Voice over LTE, commonly known as VoLTE. ZedMobile also discussed future 5G deployment. For Zambia, another mobile operator was important because greater competition could potentially improve prices, coverage and service quality. ONE MILLION SUBSCRIBERS ZedMobile initially appeared to be gaining customers quickly. On 29 August 2025, the Ministry of Technology and Science announced that ZedMobile had reached one million subscribers during its first year of commercial operation. That was a major milestone for a new mobile network. But there were already signs that subscriber growth was not the only challenge. During the one-million-subscriber celebration, the government specifically encouraged ZedMobile to improve quality of service, including reducing dropped calls. Running a mobile network requires much more than attracting subscribers. An operator must continuously invest in towers, spectrum, network equipment, maintenance, customer support and expansion while also meeting regulatory requirements. ZICTA MOVES TO CANCEL THE LICENCES The situation became much more serious in 2026. ZICTA issued notices of intention to cancel ZedMobile's network and service licences on 31 August 2026. Beeline Telecoms was given an opportunity to explain why the licences should not be cancelled. The company submitted its representations on 10 September. ZICTA then reviewed those representations together with a technical assessment of the company's operations. The regulator concluded that the explanations were not satisfactory. THE LICENCES ARE CANCELLED The cancellation took effect on 15 September 2026. According to ZICTA, ZedMobile had failed to meet important regulatory, operational and financial obligations. Reported problems included: Inadequate network rollout. Failure to meet minimum quality-of-service requirements. Outstanding statutory and regulatory fees. Failure to demonstrate the technical and financial capacity required to continue meeting its licence obligations. ZICTA therefore cancelled both the network and service licences held by Beeline Telecoms. WHAT DO THE TWO LICENCES ACTUALLY MEAN? The distinction is important. A ZICTA network licence allows an operator to construct, own or make available an electronic communications network or provide network services. A service licence allows an operator to provide electronic communications services. Losing both licences therefore affects the foundation on which ZedMobile operated as a mobile network in Zambia. ZICTA has also said resources assigned to the operator, including numbering resources and radio-frequency spectrum, will be withdrawn as part of the process. WHAT HAPPENS TO ZEDMOBILE CUSTOMERS? This is now one of the biggest questions. ZICTA says it will work with relevant organisations to reduce disruption to customers. The regulator has said it will facilitate refunds for unused airtime, bundles and other eligible financial liabilities. It is also working with other regulators, including the Bank of Zambia, on consumer-related obligations. However, customers should be careful about assuming what will happen to their 098 numbers. At the time of this update, MicLinks Radar has not found official confirmation explaining exactly how every ZedMobile number will be handled or whether customers will automatically be able to move those numbers to another network. We will update this article when ZICTA publishes clearer instructions. WHAT ABOUT ZEDWALLET? ZedWallet has told customers that their funds are safe and that it is working with the regulator so customers who want to withdraw their money can access it. Customers with money connected to ZedMobile services should therefore follow official instructions from ZedMobile, ZedWallet, ZICTA and relevant financial regulators rather than information circulating unofficially online. WHY DID ONE MILLION SUBSCRIBERS NOT SAVE THE NETWORK? This is perhaps the most interesting part of the ZedMobile story. Subscriber numbers alone do not determine whether a telecommunications company is sustainable. Mobile networks are extremely expensive businesses. Operators need money for: Network towers Fibre and backhaul Spectrum Electricity Backup power Equipment maintenance Staff Customer support Regulatory fees Network expansion Cybersecurity Continuous technology upgrades A network can therefore attract many customers while still struggling with infrastructure, service quality, cash flow or regulatory obligations. ZICTA's decision shows that subscriber growth and regulatory compliance are two very different measures of success. THE BIGGER QUESTION FOR ZAMBIA ZedMobile was supposed to increase competition in Zambia's telecommunications market. Its difficulties therefore raise a larger question: Why is it so difficult for new mobile operators to challenge established networks? ZedMobile is not the first attempted new entrant to encounter serious problems. Vodafone Zambia previously lost its licences, while UZI Zambia's licence was revoked after it failed to launch. Zambia still has large established operators with extensive infrastructure, spectrum, distribution networks and millions of existing customers. A new operator has to compete against those advantages while spending heavily to build its own network. That creates a difficult business environment even when consumers want more competition. RADAR STATUS — 20 SEPTEMBER 2026 CONFIRMED: ZICTA cancelled Beeline Telecoms Limited's network and service licences. CONFIRMED: The cancellation took effect on 15 September 2026. CONFIRMED: ZICTA cited regulatory, operational and financial failures, including network rollout, quality-of-service and financial obligations. CONFIRMED: ZedMobile announced that it had reached one million subscribers in August 2025. CONFIRMED: ZICTA says it will facilitate refunds for unused airtime, bundles and other eligible financial liabilities. WATCH: Further instructions explaining exactly how affected customers, mobile numbers and remaining services will be handled. NOT YET CONFIRMED: A general arrangement allowing every ZedMobile customer to automatically transfer their 098 number to another operator. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? The ZedMobile story is bigger than the closure of one telecommunications network. It is also a case study in how difficult it can be to build a new mobile network. ZedMobile went from an ambitious Zambian telecom challenger to one million subscribers remarkably quickly. But subscriber growth was not enough. Network quality, infrastructure expansion, regulatory compliance and financial sustainability ultimately matter just as much. The next important signal will be how ZICTA manages the transition for customers and what happens to the competition ZedMobile was supposed to bring to Zambia's telecommunications market. MicLinks Radar will update this story when important new information is confirmed. MicLinks Radar — Discover. Understand. Build.