We’re getting information that Econet has engaged consultants from neighboring South Africa to work on the mobile broadband prices.
According to the information received, the consultants have until 17 December (end of this week) to come up with a new mobile broadband pricing plan. Whether the new recommended pricing will be effected immediately thereafter is of course another issue. Still, this is welcome news.
A review of the prices has potential to solve the internet affordability problem for a lot of Zimbabweans. Econet has grown so big in the past 2 years, the pricing of any product Econet sells has its immediate impact felt by 5 million plus subscribers; almost half the entire population of the country.
There was a huge outcry when Econet launched mobile broadband services back in October. The general message from subscribers was that Econet was pricing the internet way too high for the ordinary Zimbabwean. For our part, we felt let down by Zimbabwe’s biggest telecommunications firm. There were complains in the press too by subscribers. Some on this blog.
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18 comments
Cool, we been waiting for this. In South Africa Cell C currently has a package for R0.06/mb, imagine if Econet was close to that they will kill the market at one.
This is welcome news, lets keep our fingers crossed these consultants will do a good job.
Anything which involves price going down is welcome from Econet!
Engaging South African consultants won’t necessarily mean econet broadband prices will ultimately match those of SA’s wireless providers. Consider the psychological effects of this topic’s headline before drowning oneself in false euphoria!
But why engage South African consultants? I am RIGHT HERE! Trust me I will be more than delighted to offer econet what I think their broadband prices should be, for FREE!
The have raised our hope! Let them manage the expectations! Is there truth about MTN buying a large chunk of Telecel. If so, then econet needs to endear themselves to the public FAST!
We are not saying they will go down definitely but at least they will have insight from already established mobile broadband players in SA and from that we see what they do. They have heard your complaints and are doing something about it. FREE! maybe until PowerTel offers it for free…..
True dat, a price review downwards will certainly revive the inspiration!!!
How much are the consultants charging econet for their “services”? I’ve gotta feeling we’re gonna be footing the bill!!
All I can say is we’ll wait and see without ANY expectations for reductions in the coming months.
get a consultant all the way from sa for price review is a sign of major climb down from econet. yes hundreds of thousands have signed up for mobile broadband but the revenues are not so exciting obviously because not so many are interested any more. remember all those bank loans econet got. the bankers want their pound of flesh. econet is now responding to the stimuli, the investment was massive, the registration for broabd was equally impressive. now the money spinning is pretty bad now the southafrican is here to find out why. b
What good is it reviewing the prices downwards before they perfect the mobile broadband. When using a 3g dongle, the network keeps changing from 3g to gprs. First they should sort that out then lower their prices otherwise they will lower the prices but keep the same crappy services and then blame it all on low prices. Typical Econet stunt.
ok.. so we need a consultant to tell u yo prices are too high and they advise u hw low they shd go? did u hire the same consultant to peg the current tarrif or someone just dreamt of such hefty tarrifs… econet inondikona..
Why do we need South Africans to tell us we’re paying too much? Talk about adding insult to injury. As customers we speak either on forums like this, through surveys that Econet could easily flight or we vote with our hard earned money and move to Africom. Simple.
Come on Douglas ……… you’ve just won the “Businessman of the Year” award. When are you going to start using it?
Ok Econet, your prices are high, your services are very low, I don’t think you even got the time to listen to what your subscribers got to say: Now you want someone from another world to come tell you how to do your bussiness, why can’t you pull out and let them do it then. That should have been done before you even rolled out your crap. I can’t imagine that you don’t now your prices are high and you got to lower them yourselves. Come on and get real else telecel, africom and powertel will take over if you don’t change
Talking of powertel internet,guys do you know whats really happening with it,its such a crappy service very slow and constantly breaking down.
What is the Econet Commercial Services division doing? Can a company with such a balance sheet honestly lack the brains to do simple econometric analysis necessary to come up with credible service bundles. Why should the user be hit with tariffs so huge as to be only justified by the company’s bank loans. Minister Chamisa said network operators are mistaking subscribers with investors. What is POTRAZ and his Ministry doing about extortionist prices for poor service?
well in Ireland you get 7Mb/s and you pay €19,00/month and modem is free and people here still complain that the price is very high and im suprised that in zimbabwe you are charged $100,00 if you pay it it means u have it period.
These guys! Right now they haven’t even introduced a simple thing like mms yet they rush to offer quarter (not half cooked ) 4G, wi max blah blah. Now they think it’s only south africans who can tell if our tariffs are high. What if the guys say they are low? Didn’t Econet hear that 9 tens of us are living below the poverty datum line?
South Africans themselves are dependent on Zimbabweans for professionals that i find it hard why our brothers have decided to ‘look ‘ south!
Any news on possible tarrifs or date of new prices?