Techzim understands that Econet’s SmartBiz unlimited mobile internet service now has about 100,000 customers.
The service, which became Zimbabwe’s first unlimited data package by a mobile network operator, was launched June 2024 with packages starting at $45. It had generous Fair Usage Policy (FUP) limits of at least 1 Terabyte.
Econet’s time proved strategic, launching SmartBiz as speculation grew that the government would grant Starlink an operating license. It was an instant hit and even though Starlink eventually did start operating in September, SmartBiz clearly continued to grow rapidly.
By comparison Starlink now has about 27,000 subscribers in Zimbabwe. However, the satellite internet provider has been sold out in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, for a long time now, effectively capping its potential to catchup to SmartBiz’s subscriber numbers.
SmartBiz has however encountered its own problems. A victim of its own success, it appears Econet bit more than it could chew. With some customers maximising their data usage, the company quietly reduced the FUP limit for its $45 package from 1TB down to just 200GB, leaving many customers frustrated, particularly since they weren’t notified of the change in advance.
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