Zimbabwe allocates free spectrum to mobile operators to boost data capacity

News Wireless Zimbabwe 11 MEI 2020
Zimbabwe allocates free spectrum to mobile operators to boost data capacity

The Postal and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has allocated the country's three mobile network operators free frequencies until the end of the year as part of measures to ensure affordable data to consumers in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, reports The Sunday News. Potraz director-general  Gift Machengete said the authority has granted Econet, NetOne and Telecel free spectrum so they can increase their capacities to offer data to consumers.

The authority has granted the spectrum up to December 2020 to the mobile operators. This, however, comes at a time when mobile operators have reviewed upwards charges for most of their services, including data. For example, Econet has raised data prices by 225 percent. Machengete said Econet was still within the threshold of USD 0.30 per MB set by the regulator as the company had been charging discounted bundles all along. 

Potraz also granted a free licence to Zimbabwe Research and Education Network (ZIMREN), which is a consortium of tertiary institutions, to enable the pooled sourcing of internet connectivity and distribution. The move is expected to reduce the cost of internet for tertiary institutions.

 

Categories:

Mobile

Companies:

Econet,  NetOne,  Telecel,  POTRAZ

Countries:

Zimbabwe

Tags:

Government telecommunications licensing, Data services, Wireless, Internet Access, Government policy

Related Articles

ZIMBABWE 6 OKT 2020

Potraz mulls request to keep providing extra mobile spectrum beyond year-end

The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has bemoaned poor service quality from telecom network operators due to congestion, The Herald reported. Potraz director general Gift Machengete said that each of the operators was given about 20 MHz for use at no extra cost until the end of this year in order to ease congestion. The operators are reportedly lobbying the regulator to maintain the free additional bandwidth beyond year-end to maintain high quality service, a request t

ZIMBABWE 10 JUN 2020

Zimbabwe internet subscriptions fall by 2.5% in Q1 but traffic rises

The number of active internet and data subscriptions in Zimbabwe decreased by 2.5 percent to 8.6 million in the first quarter to 31 March from 8.8 million in Q1 2019, according to industry regulator POTRAZ. Internet penetration rate declined to 59.1 percent from 60.6 percent in the previous quarter.  

ZIMBABWE 19 MEI 2020

Zimbabwe in talks with mobile firms to review data prices for e-learning

Talks between the Zimbabwean government and mobile phone operators are underway with a view to reduce the price of data bundles so that people can engage in e-learning during the Covid-19 national lockdown period, reports The Herald. The government says education has been affected by the lockdown, as students are unable to go back to school so as to minimise the spread of the disease, prompting calls for the education sector to adopt e-learning. There have been concerns over high data prices in Zimbabwe, am

ZIMBABWE 7 MEI 2020

Zimbabwean opposition party says data price rises hit home schooling and expand digital divide

Zimbabwe's Opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC) has criticised data price increases, saying they will increase the digital divide between rich and poor, as children have turned to internet schooling during the coronavirus lockdown, 263Chat reported. MDC Secretary for Education Fadzayi Mahere said that the latest hike is likely to affect poor families, who will not be able to afford the new prices. . 

ZIMBABWE 6 MEI 2020

Econet Zimbabwe raises data prices

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe has raised its data prices, sparking anger among its customers, reports The Herald. The SMS and date bundles, including bundles for Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter, have gone up by an average 35 percent. The 25 GB and the 50 GB Wi-Fi bundles have risen by 225 percent and 150 percent respectively.

ZIMBABWE 20 MRT 2020

NetOne announces new data tariffs

Zimbabwean operator NetOne has increased its data tariffs, becoming the second mobile operator to raise them after Econet, following the recent threshold hike by Potraz. The regulator increased the threshold for tariffs from ZWD 0.15 to ZWD 0.23 per megabyte against the background of a weakening economy. Voice tariffs are pegged at ZWD 1.42 for on-net calls, local texts now cost ZWD 0.38 and international SMS cost ZWD 2.49. 

ZIMBABWE 16 MRT 2020

Potraz approves 57% telecoms price increase

The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has approved a 57 percent increase in voice, data and SMS tariffs with immediate effect, to catch up with "constantly rising operating costs", The Herald reported. Potraz said prices had become sub-economic due because of the continual deterioration of the country's economy, hence the increase intends to maintain sustainable operations, according to a circular to operators seen by the daily. 

ZIMBABWE 13 MRT 2020

Econet Zimbabwe hikes data prices by 23%

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe has raised its data prices by 23 percent, as the Zimbabwean dollar continues its slide. The company said its voice tariffs remained unchanged. Customers will now pay ZWD 7 for the 40 MB daily bundle and the largest package on offer, providing 1,200 MB, will now cost ZWD 80 instead of ZWD 65.

ZIMBABWE 4 FEB 2020

Potraz approves SMS, data bundle price increases

The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has approved an adjustment in data and SMS tariffs for mobile network operators, reports 263Chat citing sources in the market. The industry regulator approved a 25 percent increase in SMS prices and an average 25 percent adjustment for data, to help protect operators from the weakening local currency against the US dollar and widespread power cuts.

Just In

07:54

Italy's Dimensione debuts MVNO service on WindTre network

07:39

Telefonica Germany leads EU funding application for AI mobile network development

07:37

Bechtle lifts revenues 2 in 2025 after strong Q4

07:36

SoftBank lifts nine-month revenue on telecom growth

Commentary

2 FEB 13:49

KPN results show little bother from the competition

2 JAN 13:21

Open Dutch Fiber's new management team takes up turnaround challenge

15 DEC 2025 13:56

Video market set for slower growth ahead

8 DEC 2025 11:38

Netflix buys Warner Bros to deepen content catalogue

Background

01:54

The week in telecoms: hyperscalers vie for capex crown, Telenor and Vodafone profit from smaller footprints

2 FEB 00:45

The week in telecoms: Verizon sparks fears of US price war, Apple beats Samsung in Q4, Telekom ramps up fibre marketing

26 JAN 00:31

The week in telecoms: Netflix and Ericsson all about cash, EU sketches out rip-and-replace and copper transition plans

22 JAN 14:28

Netflix can spend more on content and still improve its margin

Complete profile

Before downloading the whitepaper, we would like to ask you to complete your profile with company and position. After confirming you will receive the white paper.