Telecel mobile broadband prices now the lowest in Zimbabwe

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By   
May 12th, 2012

14

Telecel this week announced a promotional slash of mobile broadband prices by some 50% in a move that may trigger other mobile operators to respond to remain competitive. The second largest mobile operator in Zimbabwe now effectively has the lowest priced mobile broadband in the country. Amoung mobile operators that is. The new Telecel charges are still more expensive per megabyte than those offered by internet service providers like Africom and Zimbabwe Online.

The price slash has been crafted to encourage users to buy large data bundles as only the 55MB and larger bundles are now cheaper, with the largest bundle (the 3GB one) costing as little as US 2.5 cents per megabyte. The 5MB and 10MB bundles remain unchanged at 50 cents and one dollar respectively.

In comparison, the Econet prices for data per megabyte start at US 7 cents (for a 1.2GB) up to 15 cents per megabyte (for a 1MB bundle). Econet is the largest mobile operator in the country by number of subscribers. NetOne, the smallest mobile operator in the country, charges 10 7 cents per MB for all data usage.

ISPs ZOL and Africom charge $20 and $25 for a gigabyte bundle a month respectively. Still, both go nowhere near the data coverage the three GSM mobile operators offer. Africom’s CDMA mobile broadband service is limited to the country’s main cities, while the ZOL service referred to here is internet via Wi-Fi hotspots mainly in restaurants.

Back to the Telecel data promo, what subscribers will need to know (and indeed what some don’t get) is that to access these new data prices they will have to buy bundles and not just use their voice airtime to browse the internet. Using the voice airtime will attract the old 10 cents per megabyte charge.

Telecel subscribers will be able to start buying data at the new prices on Monday, 14 May.

update: Here’s the full list of the new promo prices:

- 55MB bundle, which normally costs $5, will be $2,50 (4,55 cents /MB).
- 55MB bundle, which normally costs $45, will be $22,50 (4,09 cents /MB)
- 1,250MB bundle, which normally costs $85, will be $42,50 (3.4 cents /MB)
- 3,000MB bundle, which normally costs $150, will be $75 (2.5 cents /MB)

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  • http://www.facebook.com/tendai.marengereke Tendai Marengereke

    hi, please can you post the cost eg. 1gig – $10 us. 2gig – $20, 3gig – $30. the way you put it i in the article, i only know the prices for zol and africom. its a bit confusing for me. maybe its just me lazy to calculate per megabyte * the cost. I cant distinguish the old and the new prices, it would be better if you put the new prices clearly according to the package . besides that keep up the good work

  • http://www.techzim.co.zw L.S.M. Kabweza

    Here are the prices we have @facebook-515676536:disqus :

    55MB bundle, which normally costs $5, will be $2,50 (4,55 cents /MB).
    550MB bundle, which normally costs $45, will be $22,50 (4,09 cents /MB)

    1,250MB bundle, which normally costs $85, will be $42,50 (3 cents /MB)
    3,000MB bundle, which normally costs $150, will be $75 (2.5 cents /MB)

  • http://www.facebook.com/tendai.marengereke Tendai Marengereke

    thanks for the quick response.

  • JamesM

    And much to my surprise connectivity is actually quite pleasant. What is going on here? Well Telecel, the challenge going forward is now to maintain acceptable connectivity quality, and not let it slide as what has happened with Africom who have deteriorated to become the worst ISP in Zim. Bye-bye Africom, and hello Telecel. I suppose there’s actually something of substance behind Telecel’s ads plastered all over TechZim’s site!

  • Sekuru

    Can anyone confirm, how good the connection with telecel is around Harare, mabelreign, west gate area. I am thinking of moving from Econnet.

  • JamesM

    I used it yesterday in Avondale and Prospect and was quite surprised at the quality of connectivity and speed. You probably are ok in the areas you mentioned. So far from what I have experienced their connectivity is far better than our beloved Econet. If Telecel maintains this kind of connectivity I would ditch Econet without blinking. And loading data couldn’t be simpler, you buy airtime dial *144# and convert the airtime to data, pronto you done! With our beloved Eco you have to go to their shops and buy data. I think they can’t do without visitors you know!

  • Techfollower

    I think telecel has taken the first step to winning over customers..to be honest econet is no longer givin us quality service.imternet yavo is expensive and sometimes inodhakwa.im happy@ telecel

  • lurker133

    This article needs to be revised:
    1. Paragraph two states “The 5MB and 10MB bundles remain unchanged at 50 cents and one dollar per megabyte respectively”, clearly a typo but a very misleading error.
    2. As Tendai Marengeke stated, it’s very hard to get the correct info out of this article and your response would serve better pasted into the main article
    3. The Telecel advert in the right column as I write this displays the old price table which negates the content of this article.

  • http://twitter.com/KuraiMGT KuraiMGT

    The 5MB and 10MB bundles remain unchanged at 50 cents and one dollar per megabyte respectively. Isnt this the bundle rate?????

  • http://www.techzim.co.zw L.S.M. Kabweza

    Thank you for the response @lurker133:disqus & sorry for the delayed response here.
    1. Still can’t see the typo in the statement. please clarify and we’ll update
    2. True, incorporating in a bit.
    3. The Telecel ad has been replaced with current info reflecting the promo.

  • http://www.techzim.co.zw L.S.M. Kabweza

    fixed. thanks for noting it.

  • http://www.techzim.co.zw L.S.M. Kabweza

    Ahhh, finally saw number 1. sorted. thanks a mil.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/begottensun Kudakwashe Musasiwa

    hey What y’all failed to mention that apart from being 50% cheaper on DATA bundles, they also Give you FREE, (YES FREE) value equivalent for the amount you top up on every $1 MegaJuice voucher..

    So, you buy $5, which can give you 110 MB’s (at the current $2.5o per 55MB) and you automatically get $5 free to call other TELECEL lines…SHHHHIIIIIIIIIIT!!! I mean guys… Seriously y’all! This, in any other country, would be a NO BRAINER! I need more of my friends and Fam on Telecel so we can all save and force the other to knock down their price!On Econet I would be totally fu**ed! With Whatsapp, Skype, Fring and Email push always on… I mean it makes sense!DO THE MATH!!! Forgot to mention that it costs the same to call a International Number as it does to call a Zim number!!!