Category: Telecommunications
Dandemutande partners with BCS for an US$8 million 891km fiber network expansion
Dandemutande has announced that it is partnering with Broadband and Cloud Services Group (BCS) to expand its fiber network. They have injected US$5 million into the expansion project with is riding on BCSs current fiber expansion project. Dandemutande’s section will span Somabula to Harare via Gweru and from Bulawayo to Plumtree and will be completed […]
How frequently do you need to upgrade your smartphone?
The smartphone world is quite a fast-moving side of tech. Every year manufacturers release new smartphones with new hardware and software like clockwork. But is it really necessary to keep up? To buy a new smartphone every single year. Of course, not, and here is why. Upgrading every year is wasteful When you are upgrading […]
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 […]
All USSD Codes for Econet, NetOne, Telecel, Banks, and more!
You are looking for a USSD code for something and you can’t quite remember what it is? You are confused about which one is for checking your balance and which one is for buying a bundle. Well here is a full list of all the USSD codes in Zimbabwe for Econet, NetOne, Telecel, Banks, and […]
Zimbabwe’s 1st satellite is finally going to space in early November if NASA is to be believed
We are used to Zimbabwean projects missing deadlines. We would have died if we had held our breath for the migration to Digital TV. To this day, that whole project remains in limbo, licences were awarded, and TV stations were launched but we still haven’t quite reached the promised land. It was starting to appear […]
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 […]
Telecel is insolvent and facing closure, and needs corporate rescue, High Court application claims
Telecel has been in freefall for years and its deterioration has only been accelerating. We have been gleening this decline in the quarterly reports released by the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Potraz). We now have insight from people who have had access to full Telecel financials and the situation is worse than we thought. […]
Econet taking in 81.2% of total data revenues and extracting more from each customer than NetOne and Telecel
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority released the sector report for Q2 2022. No one living in Zimbabwe will be surprised that even the large companies in this sector are dealing with rising costs. Zimbabwe is still dealing with high inflationary pressures, despite the ZWD firming against the USD a little in the last few […]
Operating costs rising faster than revenues, voice increases lead over data & more from Potraz Q2 report
The Postal and Telecommunications regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), recently released the sector performance report for Q2 2022. Here are the highlights from the report: • Active fixed telephone lines increased 1.5% to reach 246,722 in the second quarter of 2022, from243,123 recorded in the first quarter of 2022; the fixed tele-density increased by 0.03% to […]
Telecel now getting only 64 cents from each customer per month
The Postal and Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe recently released the sector report for Q1 2022. There isn’t much in there that will surprise anyone. The trends we have been seeing in the last few years have more or less continued. The depressing one is the Telecel saga. We have watched the once formidable mobile network […]
Econet eSim: Everything you need to know
Econet made a bit of a quiet rollout of their eSim service and Econet being Econet they are the first to bring this tech to Zimbabwe. And as it is with new tech we have a lot of questions needing answers. Let’s answer some of these. What is an eSim? eSim is short for embedded […]
NetOne posted losses despite 96% revenue growth in 2021, failing to meet targets in 2022
We don’t usually get to peek behind the curtain at NetOne. And even when we do, we don’t get to look under the carpets. We have to work with what we get. NetOne recently held their annual general meeting and we now have a better picture of what their 2021 was like. Inflation adjusted profit […]
Investment in infrastructure up while voice, data, SMS traffic declines & more from the POTRAZ Q1 2022 report
The Postal and Telecommunications regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), recently released the sector performance report for Q1 2022. Here are the highlights from the report: • Active fixed telephone lines declined by 0.1% to reach 243,123 in the first quarter of 2022, from 243,421 recorded in the fourth quarter of 2021; the fixed tele-density remained […]
Telecel revenues down 95% from 2015 levels, from US$14m to US$0.7m per month in 2022
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) released the sector performance report for Q1 2022. There’s not a lot that will shock you in the report, for the most part the trends carried on from 2021. Let’s zero in on mobile telephony and see what’s what. Data only 2.8% short of beating out […]
Declining data usage, spiraling operating costs – telecom operators not sitting pretty
Recently we went through Econet’s financial statements for the year ended February 2022. We gleaned what we could from that but unfortunately for us, we don’t get to see their competition, NetOne and Telecel’s financials. The best we get are the sector performance reports from the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ). That’s […]
Can’t use the internet whilst on a call? Voice over LTE allows for it, why are we yet to get it in Zimbabwe?
The best way to communicate is verbally, face to face. It’s not my preferred way but there’s no arguing that nothing beats it. If it’s done in a nice and quiet location, you can hear your companion as clearly as God intended. We can’t always have face to face conversations though. We are usually in […]
Voice, SMS and data prices set to increase two more times in 2022
Still trying to wrap your head around the new tariffs as Econet, NetOne, Liquid, Telone and others increased their prices recently? Sorry to pile it on, but you are going to have to do the same two more times this year. It’s better this way, when the scheduled price hikes eventually hit, you will not […]
Liquid offering unlimited domestic voice calls for a flat fee via OneVoice for Operator Connect
It was late in 2021 when Liquid Intelligent Technologies launched OneVoice for Operator Connect. Liquid is Microsoft’s only distributor for that product in Africa and launched in six markets to start with, Zimbabwe being one of those. OneVoice for Operator Connect integrates traditional telephony calling within the Microsoft Teams ecosystem. With Teams becoming an indispensable […]
Econet voice, data and SMS bundles going up, now it’s 43 minutes for the price of a loaf of bread
You know the drill by now. Inflation is somehow still getting worse and the ZW$ is crashing even faster. That means companies have to constantly adjust their prices otherwise they won’t be able to break even. Econet is doing just that on Wednesday. Econet Wireless announced via their social media accounts that voice, data and […]
TelOne lost US$400K to network vandalism in the first half of 2022
State-owned telecommunications company TelOne has said in a statement that it has lost revenue amounting to US$292,620 in the first half of 2022 due to network vandalism. This figure represents a 64% increase in the instances of thieves making off with TelOne telecommunications equipment when compared to this time last year. “In terms of equipment […]
The Econet 5G router is going for half a million dollars. Yes, you read that right
Zimbabwe’s biggest mobile network operator Econet Wireless Zimbabwe has announced that you can now buy a 5G router from its stores nationwide. The announcement was made on the company’s Facebook page and follows the company’s recent launch of 5G in Victoria Falls as well as installations in Harare and Bulawayo. According to the promotional material, […]
NetOne botched their system upgrade, some users’ data disappearing, others getting free data
There’s a reason why people fear upgrades. Many Windows users will hold off on upgrading their operating systems until they are left with no other choice. Upgrades can and do go wrong, as NetOne attests to today. It started well enough, NetOne announced on Thursday, 30 June, that there was a scheduled system upgrade starting […]
NetOne customers, there’s a big system upgrade happening tonight
State-owned mobile network operator NetOne, has announced that it will be carrying out a major system upgrade that will hamper regular services tonight. The statement from NetOne about the system upgrade reads as follows: Major System Upgrade Dear Valued Customer, NetOne wishes to advise that there will be a major system upgrade from 23:00hrs, 30 […]
Econet’s smart USD bundle no longer the smart option, use ZW$ instead
Each and everyone of us is looking for a bargain. It doesn’t matter what we’re buying, we would pay nothing if that was possible. Unlucky for us, bargain hunting has never been more difficult in Zimbabwe where one has to contend with multiple currencies and ever changing exchange rates. Businesses are trying to encourage us […]
Telecel customers, voice and data bundle prices are going up
Zimbabwe’s smallest mobile network operator, Telecel, has announced that it will be increasing data and voice bundle prices tomorrow (9/06/2022) The statement that Telecel made on Twitter reads as follows: “To our valued customers, please be advised we will be reviewing our voice and data bundle prices. T&C’s apply.” Telecel on Twitter You can buy […]
Starlink is hitting Mozambique & Nigeria this year. How long till we get a crack at it in Zimbabwe?
Elon Musk’s internet service provider (ISP) Starlink was approved in Mozambique and Nigeria recently according to a tweet from the man himself. According to a report by Techcrunch, Starlink’s arrival in Nigeria was said to have been in the works since 2021. The ISP got a 10-year licence that kicks off this year. For Zimbabwe, […]
POTRAZ has started monitoring your calls. Here’s what you need to know
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe’s (POTRAZ) call traffic monitoring system was commissioned today by the Minister for ICT, Hon. Jenfan Muswere. “Minister of ICT, Dr. J. Muswere commissioned the Telecommunications Traffic Monitoring System (TTMS) at POTRAZ today. The TTMS is a revenue assurance system that allows POTRAZ to track traffic by operators […]
NetOne employee steals $150 million, buys luxury vehicles
State-owned mobile network operator NetOne was defrauded of ZWL$150 million by an employee in an airtime voucher scam according to a report by The Herald. The heist was staged by a cashier who was identified as Daniel Kalira, and was found out after the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission conducted an investigation in August last year […]
Econet sending flash SMS now, essentially running full screen ads for their products
I have never opted out of receiving any SMSes from Econet or its subsidiaries. I know, I’m a crazy person. If you have never used an Econet line or if you opted out years ago and are rusty on the extent of the problem, Econet loves sending promotional texts. So why haven’t I opted out? […]
Econet voice, data, and SMS bundle prices are going up tomorrow
Zimbabwe’s largest mobile network operator (MNO) Econet has announced in a tweet, that voice, data, and SMS bundles prices are going up tomorrow. The statement by Econet reads as follows: PUBLIC NOTICE Dear Customers, Please note, we will review our Voice, Data & SMS bundle prices effective, Thursday 19 May, 2022. To access Voice & […]