JOHANNESBURG, June 6 (Reuters) - Vodafone Group saidon Monday it will launch its high-speed mobile data services inZambia jointly with unlisted telecoms provider Afrimax, tappinggrowing demand for data-heavy services on the continent.
The companies plan to provide high-speed 4G data servicesunder the Vodafone Zambia brand and will also open retail storesin Africa's second largest copper producer.
Telecoms and Internet companies are expanding in Africa totake advantage of the growing demand for data-heavy services asmore affordable smartphones encourage consumers to browse theinternet, stream videos and download applications.
Vodafone, the world's second-largest mobile operator, has apresence in several countries in Africa, while Netherlands-basedAfrimax had previously said it had raised $120 million to fundthe expansion of a high-speed broadband network in Africa.
Vodafone also partnered with Afrimax in 2014 to launch dataservices in Uganda as part of an agreement by the two firms tojointly expand their businesses in sub-Saharan Africa. (Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg; Editing by James Macharia)