Zimbabwe's state-owned mobile phone enterprise NetOne, the country's second-largest cell phone provider after Econet, is said to be on the block for privatization.

A report by Agence France Presse quoted NetOne Chief Executive Reward Kanga as saying investors in Canada, Britain and Italy have expressed interest in the parastatal.

London-based telecoms analyst Baddi Kechiche of Pyramid Research told reporter Patience Rusere of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that disposing of NetOne would make sense for the strapped Harare government, but a dated valuation of US$500 million looked too rich.

More reports from VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe...