EcoCash DStv payment: The problems and Econet’s response

L.S.M Kabweza Avatar

EcoCash - DStvAbout a month ago, Econet introduced a new ultra-convenient way to pay for DStv subscriptions. A few days later, we tried it ourselves and it worked as promised; seamless! But two weeks later, a reader sent us an anonymous email with the subject: “ECOCASH DSTV FACILITY NOT WORKING!” and here are the contents of that email:

Recently you published the new EcoCash and DSTV facility for paying subscriptions. I decided to try out the service given the convenience of not standing in long lines to renew my subs. I duly transacted, following the instructions flighted in the press and the amount was deducted from my EcoCash wallet. Given that my subscription had expired, I waited for the reconnection which never came. I then decided to cal Multichoice who then informed me that they had not received payment to that effect. I was told to call 114, the EcoCash Helpline, but we know the stories with Econet Call Centres!  I failed to get through and eventually visited an Econet shop the following day, only to be told that the system was experiencing “teething” problems. The Econet assistant took my details and promised that the issue would be resolved before the end of the day, and that I would get a call from Econet to confirm that the transaction had gone through.

Seeing no communication from Econet, I decided to call the Econet assistant who then said she will look further into the issue. Within 2 minutes of that call I received an SMS from EcoCash reversing the transaction I had made to DSTV!! No further explanations!

Has this service worked for anyone else? TechZim, please look into the issue.

So we forwarded Econet the email and asked for their side. Well the question ‘has this service worked for anyone else?’ Is already answered? Econet could however not respond to his specific problem because he sent the tip anonymously. But they responded on some issues that have been lodged on the EcoCash DStv payments in general. And here’s their response:

The reception and take-up of the DStv EcoCash payment service has been better than expected. Our customers are attracted to this service by the convenience paying via EcoCash offers, and that they are charged less than they would if they paid through other channels.

There is an almost 100% success rate on payments and our analysis shows the small number of transactions that do not go through may be affected by the following:

  • Users with decoders purchased and registered in SA: the scope of the EcoCash DStv payments is for Zimbabwe-registered accounts, and the system requires use of a Zimbabwe-registered account. SA-registered account numbers will receive payment, but may not get instant reconnection. However MultiChoice are able to intervene manually and reconnect such users;
  • Subscribers identifying themselves with their smart card numbers and not their account numbers, as required by the MultiChoice billing system to automatically accept payment and reconnect; customers inputting incorrect account numbers.

Should a transaction fail for any reason, we have a system that refunds these payments to the customer’s wallet.

The ability to pay for DStv via EcoCash is just one example of the many services available on the EcoCash platform, specifically made for the convenience of customers. We continue to add more such services and we will be sure to let our customers know as we launch.

We continue to interact with our customers to ensure they are aware of how the product works. EcoCash is a product loved for its user-friendly interface, and so we will look at what possible ways we can make the payment process even simpler and more convenient for our customers. We appreciate all feedback from customers on this and all other services, as it allows us to serve them better. We continue to closely monitor performance of the service to ensure our customers get the service they deserve.

69 comments

  1. Chris Mberi

    I paid my account on a Sunday the 2nd of June and when I checked my account online, the payment did not reflect until Monday.

    1. Chris Mberi

      I must say I’m impressed with the Ecocash team. They made personal follow ups on my matter and took the time to find out exactly what happened. I wait to see how things go with my next transaction. One main thing that came out of my discussion with the guys is that one needs to make sure they pay the exact amount for the package else the system may not be able to know which package to activate. In my case, I paid $2 more than my subscription.

    2. ngwanatiokwa rosinah

      i have paid for my dstv yesterday, 01, oct, 2014, but my channels isn’t visible yet.

    3. Anonymous

      These pple are con mmen

  2. Byron

    Works wonderfully.

  3. Marunda

    It works like magic. The reason I started using EcoCash, Ko Zesa??? Magetsi vakomana arikupera pakati pehusiku takadzima zvedu ma weekend aya!

  4. Culprit

    Typical of a Zim company to follow in other people’s foot steps why not take it a step further and negotiate with multichoice and offer box office movies the rental fee is small enough to be affordable, some of the extended benefits that econet could have a monopoly on then again I don’t see that many innovators nor unique things coming out econet lately…

  5. Time

    This is may sound simple but it’ll help a lot if econet actually posted the package prices with their commissions factored in that we are to pay. For example my subs paid at NMB are $88 for premium HD and extraview but someone on premium only, pays about $78 this may cause some confusion.

  6. MI5

    It worked for me.

  7. BraFabs

    wat should i do to reconnect after 3 months not subscribing. i paid full amount and nothing appears now

    1. e.zvidzyi

      Just paid my subscription using ecocash after I had stopped for 2 months but nothing is appearing

      1. nyasher

        all you need it to get to dstv website the go to self service then clear error code 16. Then you will have it dstv connected

        1. Anonymous

          if i sent some one to go and pay my dstv and he did come with my invoice what do i do.

  8. JoJo

    paid min connected instantly no problems. it works guys – it works

    1. Live_n_Learn

      it worked for you smartie, that doesnt overally make up for the issues thousands are facing..

  9. Gladys

    I paid yesterday via ecocash after being disconnected for 2 weeks but there is still no signal! does this really work??

  10. kwaramba tinofa

    I paid for my account 42431340 on 12/06/2014 but I am not getting da pictures upto now. I tried to call,sms but cldn’t work. Please help.

    1. m mashaba

      paid acc 41648590 today via ecocash

  11. Marlon nyoni

    Ndakabhadhara musi wa11 june ndomusi waipera mari yacho, machannels ari kutovhara.bhora riri kupera apa kufona hapana ari kudavira. Vachiripo here vanhu vedstv? Vava kutibhowa manje.

  12. Marlon nyoni

    Dstv mava kutibhowa. Asi muri paholiday ? Fon dzenyu hamudavire. Mava kutibhowa manje.

  13. Marlon nyoni

    Yaa vazovhura machannels angu welldone dstv.

  14. Givemore Muzarurwi

    I paid for account 41813456 before the dew dates but my I am cut off

    1. givemore muzarurwi

      i paid through ecocash yesterday please activate my account 41813456

  15. Saizi Phiri

    i paid yesterday through Ecocash to dstv but the time i was trying to confirm to dstv the said we didnt receive your payment. so i am unhappy men because of that. then after some minutes i phoned to Ecocash find out if they received my payment. the answer i got from them they said yes we deducated from your wallet but problem we have the system is not worki ng well but tomorrow we will sort out. i am still waiting.

  16. Anonymous

    I paid a/c no_42587700 through ecocash pliz activate my dstv

  17. Anafi Lloyd

    paid account number 42305506 yesterday through eco cash but there are no signals yet.Please may you activate this account now

  18. Chiedza

    I paid two wks ago but nothing is happening what is really going on account number47714535

  19. ANGRY Subscriber

    Dear Ecocash Customer, a system error occurred while submitting your DStv bill payment. Amount will be reversed to your account within 48hrs.

    thts th sms they sent me and up to now i havent received my money and my dstv signal has dissapeared…..not so convinient fo m..

  20. Elias Gumbo

    I made a payment through ecocash for compact plus and i was previously on compact but there is no electricity currently so i am asking you not to disconnect me and to also upgrade me to compact plus. my account number is 40144160.

  21. Terry

    paid my subscription please activate 34953456

  22. Shadreck Karipache

    i hav payd my dstv thru ecocash but pliz help cz i guess i made a mistake on wch boquet tu pay to,,, i payd on premium instead of family but my money wz deducted on my ecocash wallet plizz plizzz help
    Name……..Charlene K Nyoni
    Acc#………..41269574
    S.Card #…..42528424528

  23. sikhathele

    mmmmmmmm this is 2much i paid via ecocash really wanted to see WWE Survivor Series since but eish m still cut off

  24. Reason Magaya

    i paid my acc on the 13th of Dec but am not receiving any service .I’ve tried to communicate with u to no avail.My acc no is49439803,i was disconected on the 10th of Dec.please help me

  25. onisimo mapaike

    I paid with eco cash before due date but they are cutting all channels my account numbr41598449

  26. Desire sibotshwa

    I’ve subscribed my decorder & on the wrong account today and its s.a can it be reversed

  27. Goriyati

    I subscribed 4 days ago thru eco cash but still no signal

  28. manyonga

    paid ystdae and i have been sending sms and calling no response since yesterday please help…..

  29. Dubee

    I paid my account on a thursday 09/07/15 and when I checked my account online, the payment did not reflect 10/07/15 mt acc number is 52516799

  30. jefrey ngiza

    l subscribed with eco cash in the afternoon but the channels havent been updated my acc no 52725216

  31. onister

    I subscribed for the wrong account 42408230; and i request ecocash dstv payment to be transfered to account 42428234: smart cart no 42705643551:

  32. Mkhumbuli Moyo

    I’ve subscribed through Ecocash my decoder with wrong bouquet instead of normal, I used extra view please transfer to Normal decoder because my money already deducted pliz help me my account 41527406. smart card 42582841237

  33. James Thomas

    I paid my a/c 51650748 through ecocash activate me pliz.

  34. Austin Mufana

    I paid my DSTV using Ecocash yesterday at 1600hrs but upto now they have not activated my money and account. 43733904. Please activate my account.

  35. Anonymous

    l paid for my account 2 hours ago but l still have no signal Acc number 41868119

  36. Tonde

    my decoder is not view channels but l pay Today acc number 30002512

  37. Gina

    paid my account yesterday still not ye activated eish 45277816

  38. brighton banda

    i payd for my acc thru ecosh bt there is no picture llz hlp mi acc # 50196025 plz help my holiday is boring

  39. charles mazvi

    I paid my acc today please help picture not coming yet. acc number is 42418273

  40. Anonymous

    paid my acc # 43321194 it nt working help mi out

  41. Gift marunga

    I paid my account my account number 42213132 on 25 january but up to now it had not updated

  42. Tendai Chipato

    I paid my account my account number 42573480on 4 February but up to now it had not updated

  43. clemence mangwanda

    my account hasn’t activated yet please activate it 52307671

  44. Tafadzwa

    my account 43971151 has been paid via Ecocash but I cannot see anything

  45. james

    activate me pliz i pay may account izvozvi #52115955

  46. Noreen

    can u activate my account. I have paid my subs around 12 midday. #52316172

  47. Katenah

    Please activate account 45946875. Payment made today through eco-cash.

    Please assist.

  48. FOSTER RUWIZA

    I paid my dstv bill into a wrong account that is 37341758 but my actual account is 37641758. Could you please reverse this payment and effect the payment into this account dstv account 37641758

  49. Anonymous

    reset 51466981

  50. tinashe makoni

    l paid my dstv account 43143682 yesterday bt up now nothing is appearing

  51. Yeukai Sharon Madekutsikwa

    I paid a wrong DSTV account using ecocash

  52. Yeukai Sharon Madekutsikwa

    Paid 47879129 instead of 48621799 using ecocash pliz reverse payment

  53. Anonymous

    ive paid my dstv acct via ecocash bt nothing activated why my acct # 53028093

  54. Anonymous

    please help me activate my decoder my channels are not showing 41631423

  55. Mageza

    I paid using ecocash n checkd my acc thru selfservice n there s nothing about the payment please help dst acc 52288385 and s card 10170103484

  56. m mashaba

    activate acc 41648590

  57. Terison Dumba

    am trying to pay my Dstv using ecocash nöw but am told my account is töö long iz 5258140

  58. Kidwell

    Does this really takes more than 24hrs l paid Acc 44694772 not connected yet

  59. crisie

    how long does it take to activate a new account after using ecocash a/c no 54078120.

  60. fanny kapadza

    am trying to pay my account using ecocash but it is not working i wonder are still using ecocash to pay

2023 © Techzim All rights reserved. Hosted By Cloud Unboxed