If you thought being able to pay for your DStv at a supermarket till point was convenient (it was, we tried it), this is just going to be awesome. It’s one development we know most middle income families have been waiting for. Econet has integrated its mobile money service, EcoCash, to Multichoice’s DStv enabling subscribers to pay instantly via the mobile phones anytime, from anywhere. The announcement was made today via adverts in the local print press.
Until now, paying for your DStv subscription meant going to a bank, standing in a queue, making a deposit, and then sometimes needing to call Multichoice to confirm the payment had gone through so they could activate your subscription. Sometimes if you paid after a certain cutoff, you’d have to wait for the next day. If this new service works like it’s supposed to, not anymore! Life is too short to go to the bank!
We imagine the service will benefit both companies; those that wouldn’t subscribe on time because of the hassles of doing so will conveniently be able to instantly. EcoCash on the other hand will probably get the additional subscribers who so far didn’t have any direct use case for it.
We’re told the service has been in testing for a while. A source at Econet also told us next will be the national electricity company, Zesa as well as the city councils for water bills. In fact, residents of Bulawayo, we’re told, are already paying for their water bills using EcoCash.
I hate Econet with a passion BUT i salute them on Ecocash. This is a product that works for the man in the street. What more do you want?
Cant wait for the web-based Ecocash portal?
I dont hate Econet but I share your sentiments about the Web-based portal. What on earth are they waiting for.
Ecocash is not just a product, its an economy and slowly its all starting to make sense. Imagine the man hours saved by just this one aspect of it and the ripple effect it is going to have on adoption for both users and merchants. I hope banks do not cry fowl once again because they’ve been failing all along on this one. Let me hasten to say we still need banks because ecocash does not help you save; it is only an efficient transfer system but will not help you invest and save.
What happened to EcoLife ?
matebele? Drop it man. Ecolife died years ago. we are talking about ecocash
what about the premiums we supposedly paid for Ecolife? Are we not supposed to be refunded?
technically no premiums were actually made, you actually paid for airtime that you used.
disclaimer: we were very unhappy with the way EcoLife ended http://www.techzim.co.zw/2011/12/econet-quietly-switches-on-ecolife-the-big-losers-are-trustco-the-subscribers/
Econet are just lucky no one has really made a follow up on this issue. Otherwise its a good candidate for a class action suit. They enticed us to join it and enticed to buy more airtime…so they should live up to their end of the contract
Now we talking been waiting for this intergration! Viva Ecocash!!!
The highest charge in EcoCash as from the information received is $0.8 which is for a payment of $75. This is $1.2 cheaper than banks and $0.20 cheaper than any other channel. Thank you EcoCash for changing life and this is good one. I cant wait to see you do same for Prepaid ZESA.
As if this is not more I have been informed that I can pay as little as $0.15 for a $10 pack which is $1.85 cheaper the the bank and $0.85 cheaper than other channels. To confirm the charges I had to pay my DSTV today and surely $0.8 is affordable and the fact that I was able to pull money from my bank and pay while seated in my office is a plus to EcoCash. If this is not innovation then I do not have a name for it and today I am “waooed” by EcoCash.
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