Recently, the World Bank attempted to initiate a break up of the company into four subsidiaries, each responsible for a different telecommunications sector. The project was canceled when the government did not commit to the recommendations given by World Bank. The PTC has control over all local, domestic long distance, and international basic voice service.
Competition is very limited in the sector of private networks.
There is no independent regulatory body therefore PTC makes all tariff, licensing, and regulation decisions. The World Bank is working with Zimbabwe in an effort to create an independent regulatory body. Recently, Retrofit Ltd. challenged PTC's monopoly in court, arguing that the poor and limited services denied citizens their basic freedoms. In March 1998, the U.S. Embassy in Harare announced that a privatization of the PTC may take place between May and July 1998. U.S. Embassy 36 Baker Ave.