Hotbox the WhatsApp chatbot that replaced Duta is now at 300K users

Valentine Muhamba Avatar
Hotbox WhatsApp 300K news updates number

The was once a WhatsApp service called Duta that shut up shop on WhatsApp in late 2019. This service was particularly useful because you could get sports news and many other updates through it. When it went away it left a void in the market that needed filling and up stepped Hotbox which has been going from strength to strength and now has 300K users.

Hotbox allows you to do much the same as Duta (news & sports updates) with a few additions as well as:

  • Eduzone where you can get access to educational resources and past papers
  • A Marketplace for all sorts of goods and services
  • Job Vacancies
  • Emergency short codes

The last Hotbox milestone we reported on was in September, when the WhatsApp chatbot had just gone over 100K users. And it isn’t too surprising to see them doing this well. As we have said here ad nauseam, WhatsApp is the internet in Zimbabwe.

Most people’s first exposure to internet services is through WhatsApp because general data bundles are very expensive. A service like Hotbox makes it so that you can have access to a number of “wider internet services” in a chat.

And with the pandemic still with us and more people going online. I doubt it’ll be too long before we hear that Hotbox has added a couple more hundred thousand users to the 300K it currently has.

You can check out Hotbox for yourself on WhatsApp with the number +263776656972

You should check also out:

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18 comments

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  1. Truce

    Interesting ,

  2. Anonymous

    I personally think WhatsApp only data is killing innovation, they are a lot of productivity tools out there. The fact that the majority has to be cornered into using one platform is not good. The WhatsApp bots are good but there are platforms like Telegram that had bots 5 years ago with open APIs that anyone can start using for free. There is slack which is years ahead of Whatsapp. There is google lens and a lot of other cloud platforms that can help our country move forward. The internet is a right and should be available for all. everyone should have an equal opportunity to choose whichever platform they want at a low cost.

    1. AllanKayz

      How do achieve that?

  3. Anonymous

    It’s a shame and bad thing that our MNO’s are extremely slow to adapt their product offerings to cater to the ever changing needs of people,(Why don’t they introduce a Zoom bundle for instance).Everyone is forced to use Whatsapp.Indeed for most people in Zim, their exposure to the Internet is ONLY THROUGH WHATSAPP.what a sad situation! !!

  4. Musiwa Silas

    A welcome development. I’m waiting to purchase Telegram bundles from Econet and other MNOs as soon as they are rolled out.

  5. Luckson

    Please could you make a follow up on Hotbox. Is Hotbox down or dead?

    1. Victoreloaded

      Its not working

      1. Muli Derrick musembi

        Use hekaya sports bot for sports highlights. The number is +254758544601

        1. Jah Crusher

          How do you start using it

    2. Bro…

      Try again, it’s now working

  6. Joseph

    It is not working on my phone

  7. Mambo SKE

    Is this Hotbox Whatsapp bot still working. Its now more than 2 weeks down. Help

  8. José

    How do I use it

  9. Anonymous

    Does this do quizzes and other guess games?

  10. Akismet

    What are the commands used to start using Hotbox

  11. Courage Mutarani

    Help Hotbox is not responding me

  12. Anonymous

    it’s not replying

  13. Princess

    I want to be part of this i love it

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