Category: Internet
You might not know this but you are not really good at ‘googling’, take these tips
We recently talked about how 93% of Zimbabweans use Google for their search needs. Google dominates the world over and that’s been the case since its introduction in 1997. You would think with such experience with Google we would be good at googling but we aren’t. If you’re content with the way you search today, […]
We asked POTRAZ about Starlink. Here is everything we know about it coming to Zimbabwe.
The quality of the internet in Zimbabwe has just completely gone to the dogs. It’s a literal state of emergency and any option that shows the slightest promise is being treated like a messiah. Starlink is one of these services and on their coverage map, they slated Zimbabwe as one of the countries receiving the […]
Xiaomi AX3000 Mesh router. A stealthy box with no unsightly antennae
I really like the stealthy look on this one. This is the Xiaomi AX3000 mesh router and I guess the highlight of this one is that so far it is the only router with no antennae protruding out of it. It’s just a box. A stealthy-looking box. So it’s called a mesh router because it […]
Xiaomi AX1800 review. A more sensible-looking router.
The last time I reviewed a router it was a batman alien spaceship-looking thing. But that one was just a lot. So here is something more sensible. It’s the Xiaomi AX1800 and just like last time the nerdy name speaks to its technology and performance. It’s a Wifi 6 capable router hence the AX and […]
Liquid Intelligent Technologies selects Nokia for a 12Tbps fiber backbone link spanning 7 African countries
Liquid Intelligent Technologies looks to expand its fiber network infrastructure and has contracted Nokia as its partner of choice. The project is a 12Tbps fiber backbone link that will be spanning 7 African countries that include Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. As part of the agreement, Nokia […]
5G is terrible right now. But it has a very useful and exciting future
5G is the current and most advanced mobile communication method right now. It’s been here for quite some time and in Zimbabwe, it was introduced by Econet beginning of 2022. But the world over, 5G has not been performing as well as advertised. The kinds of speeds being promised are over 1Gbps and yet during […]
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has confirmed Starlink is coming to Zimbabwe this year. South Africa’s date is still unknown
For those that are unaware, Starlink is a SpaceX project providing internet all over the globe. It works in the same way as VSAT in that you buy a piece of equipment that faces the sky and connects you to the internet via a satellite above you in space. Starlink service will be available in […]
Dark Fiber Africa is using Zimbabwe’s major rail network to lay 2000km of fiber across the country
In 2020 Dark Fiber Africa (DFA) opened a shop in Zimbabwe after obtaining a Class B Internet Access Provider license from POTRAZ. Since then they have been laying fiber in the metropolitan areas of Harare. They recently partnered up with Bandwidth and Cloud Services Group (BCS) for a long-haul fiber backbone project. This project is […]
TelOne announces new data prices starting 1 January 2023
Nothing like a data price adjustment to start off the new year. TelOne just announced new pricing for its data packages. The new tariffs kicked off promptly on 1 January 2023. The price increase is barely noticeable though when compared to the wave of 61% increase in tariffs in the second half of 2022. Telone’s […]
Potraz Q3 report. Econet mopping up NetOne and Telecel subscribers & 104% increase in mobile revenues vs Q2
Potraz Q3 report is out and not a lot really happened. A total of nine 2G base stations were decommissioned and 139 3G base stations were added. 4G base station count increased by 120 whilst the number of 5G base stations remained the same. NetOne has been quite busy beefing up its 4G infrastructure which […]
Facebook’s fiber has landed in South Africa and it’s the world’s longest undersea cable at 45000km
Meta’s Facebook is joining the telecoms space and they have decided to come out of the gates with the longest undersea fiber optic cable at 45000km. To make this all happen they formed the 2Africa group which comprises other telecom operators. China Mobile International, Djibouti Telecom, Meta (Facebook), MTN GlobalConnect, Orange, Saudi Telecom Company (STC), Telecom […]
USD LTE data bundles compared. Econet, Telecel, NetOne, Utande, TelOne and Liquid Home
Let’s talk about USD bundles. They came hot on the scene and the promise is you get more value when you pay in USD. But how much value is it really and who has the best value hands down? Time for some tables. In this head-to-head, we have several categories. Device support: Works in which […]
Liquid Home gives WibroniX the USD treatment. Data for a dollar
Finally, the WibroniX customers are now getting the USD bundle treatment. Something that Liquid Home had reserved only for FibroniX customers. It’s all well and good up until you realize that the LIT USD promotion is ending on boxing day, 26 December 2022. So you better grab it whilst it’s still there. We heard the […]
Apple’s iMessage not bothering with RCS. Android brings iMessage support to Google Messages instead.
“I don’t hear our users asking that we put a lot of energy in on that at this point,” Cook said when asked how Apple founder Steve Jobs would feel about using the RCS standard in iMessage during Vox Media’s Code 2022 event on Wednesday night. Instead, Cook said, “I would love to convert you […]
Liquid Home is facing challenges with its network with no resolution date yet
Liquid Home has been running maintenance after maintenance for the past month. On the 11th of November, they announced that maintenance would be going on for 5 days. That must have been one major maintenance. If you thought that was long, in the latest one the service disruption will go on indefinitely. 11 November 2022Dear […]
60 minutes and 500MB FREE when you buy US$5 airtime on Telecel.
It’s that time again to hunt for that Telecel line. They have announced the Free for Five promotion, rewarding their customers with free on-net minutes and data when they spend US$5, US$3, and US$2 in airtime. RTGS purchases also qualify because we have to be all-inclusive. This is what the rewards will look like. The […]
Utande LTE now available in Harare West
Utande has been pushing LTE expansion pretty aggressively, beating Liquid Home to the punch in Mutare. The LTE service will use Sim cards and an outdoor unit kit. Also, these sim cards will be geo-locked so if you thought this meant cheaper mobile data I am sorry to say this is not the case. A […]
Liquid Home’s LIT USD bundles. Are they any good?
Liquid Home has been offering USD packages on their FibroniX and WibroniX services, a bit of convenience for those of you that prefer paying in USD. These packages are running in parallel to the already existing ZW$ packages so merely a case of what is more convenient for you. The LIT bundles are currently on […]
Liquid Home vs TelOne vs Zodsat vs Telco vs Utande. Which is the best VSAT provider?
We made a comparison of the best fixed internet provider. Then we did another for the best mobile internet provider. But maybe these 2 classes of internet providers don’t reach some of you in the most remote parts of Zimbabwe and you need to go satellite. Look no further. This is all of the VSAT […]
Dolphin Telecom plus 2 other MVNOs. We wanted competition and it’s here. Almost
In an address by the POTRAZ Director General Dr. Gift Machengete, it was revealed that 3 companies have been granted Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) licenses to operate in Zimbabwe with Dolphin Telecoms being the one that is closest to going live. the other 2 are yet to be named. It is exciting stuff because […]
Chrome support to end for some Windows users
Chrome has decided to end support for older Windows versions that include Windows 7, 8 and 8.1. This makes Chrome version 109 the final version of the world’s most-used browser to support these older versions of Windows. In a blog post on Google Chrome Support, they stated that this end of support falls in line […]
Experiencing call drops and dodgy 4G? Don’t blame your service provider. It’s probably your phone.
Many times someone you know is complaining about their phone just not being reliable. Calls just spontaneously drop and network connectivity just falls from 4G to 3G or even 2G without any warning. I remember back in 2015 I bought an LG G4 and it was a 4G capable device. However, when I put my […]
TelOne new voice and data tariffs effective 1 November 2022
Just like clockwork, what we hope is the last wave of tariff adjustments by telecom operators is upon us. TelOne has announced new prices for their voice and data services which will be in effect from 1 November 2022. Data Prices: Old vs New Also read: Brace for 61% more expensive internet. Again Liquid Home […]
Aruba HPE and Solution Centre partner up for one of the safest IT solutions on the market
So IT is in an exciting phase right now. When we look at the transition of a lot of businesses from paper-based systems to digital systems you’ll see a lot is going on in that space. And as soon as data goes digital, we start to get networks that enable us to access and use […]
Reopening a tab you mistakenly closed & other Google Chrome shortcuts you need to know
Mistakenly closing a tab while using Google Chrome is something I do with frightening regularity. I usually end up having to Google the shortcut for restoring a closed tab because I can’t remember the key combinations to save my life. And many of you would laugh because the shortcut on Google Chrome is simply Ctrl […]
The control of information flow by American tech companies during Russia-Ukraine war is scary
We are living in the Information Age. When I first heard that term, I thought it was cute and did not think much about its implications. The past few years, and the first two and half months of 2022 especially, have revealed what the information age really entails. The information age started in the mid […]
UZ e-learning resources now free to access thanks to Liquid Intelligent Technologies
Liquid Intelligent Technologies partnered with the University of Zimbabwe to zero rate the university’s e-learning resources. Students and staff at the largest university in the country will enjoy free access to all online library resources, no data required. Students will be celebrating this considering the high data costs in the country. More so when you […]
10% internet tax: the Techzim community has its say
This evening (14/02/2022) we held a Twitter Space to talk about the 10% Excise Duty or Tax that will be levied on internet packages and VOIP services. The news was communicated by ZOL Zimbabwe in an email to customers and we were joined by our community on Twitter to go over it and the impact […]
Zimbos! Here’s your chance to give Wikipedia that local flavour
On the 2nd and 3rd February 2022, the AfroCuration event in Zimbabwe, in partnership with the National Gallery of Zimbabwe will bring together young participants from colleges and universities in Zimbabwe to train them on how to tell their stories through Wikipedia. The event will be both virtual and physical with influential speakers in the […]
Google to add more context to search results in a bid to fight fake news
Google the makers of the internet’s leading search engine have announced that soon they will release an update that will see more context being added to search results in a bid to fight fake news and misleading information. This will be done through a new tool called About this result which was released back in […]