Malawi Telecommunications (MTL) has launched Wimax services and rebranded its consumer internet services under the name MiNET.

Acting CEO Elias Imaan said the development represented another milestone in the company’s portfolio of access technologies. The company now offers WiMax, CDMA and DSL access technologies.

The Wimax will be rolled out in phases. The first phase, launched on 2 May, covers the Central Business Districts and some suburbs of Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu. The second phase will start in Q4 2012 and fully cover Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu. WiMax will then be rolled out to other districts.

he second phase, scheduled for Q4 this year, will before rolling out to other districts. This means MTL now has three internet access technologies: Wimax, CDMA, and DSL. After previously using different names such as LibertyNET and HomeNET for each of the technologies, the operator has simplified its branding to MiNET.

Imaan also announced that MTL had rebranded its various consumer or individual access services under the name MiNET.