NetOne today launched a new home WiFi product called One-FI. The service, targeted at home users and small offices allows NetOne subscribers to buy a WiFi router that has a NetOne sim card. That way they can access NetOne 3G and 4G over WiFi.
The company is selling the router, picture above, for the service. The router, a Huawei product, apparently takes up to 32 users. The router itself costs $130. NetOne says they have terms for paying this but our immediate reaction was that this is on the steep side for a router, especially since they are competing with ISPs some of them offering free installation.
NetOne also has data packages created for this One-Fi product:
| Lite | Basic | Plus | Ultra | Extreme | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data GB | 6 | 15 | 36 | 57 | 107 |
| Voice (On-Net) | 25 | 60 | 125 | 240 | 600 |
| CPE Bundle Price | $9 | $19 | $39 | $59 | $99 |
So, essentially, you buy a $130 router and then buy one of those packages above. If you’re wondering how you will use those voice minutes if your SIM is the router, the router has a port to connect an ordinary home phone handset.
NetOne is clearly hoping to tap into the home internet market currently dominated by fixed internet providers in Zimbabwe, mainly TelOne, ZOL and Dandemutande.
They are the first mobile operator in Zimbabwe to be deliberate about such a product.
Steep router price aside, whether this is a great product or not, we’re guessing the market will decide.
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28 comments
CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) does that mean that the price of the router is included in the subscription, a bit confusing.
No. According to what the company has told us, router price is separate. A $130 once off
This is very interesting and a good idea. However, the Achilles heel is the poor performance of their network.
a good offering for SME’s that are operating in areas not served with TelOne ADSL or ZOL fibre. I like the portability aspect; I can take it home after hours and continue being on line. The router price though….
To echo what has been already said by other folks above, that router is DAMN expensive!
$130, definitely not for me, however is it possible to get a SIM card and be able to access those packages even when using a 3G dongle or mobile??
I dnt think they will allow tht
It was a good move but the pricing mechanism is way off reality with the way the economy is the router is way damn expensive
I remember buying my Zol outdoor unity for 150 dollars(what a waste of money l did). During that time, it sounded reasonable and better priced compared to other options on the market.
I like the idea, and if l was not enjoying my ever reliable TelOne adsl, l was going to give it a try.
The idea is great, the product is reasonably priced if it delivers bt slightly on the expensive side for home users.
What it needs now is the support! Network coverage especially 4G is going to crucial, and have to be reliable.
NetOne also need sales people who can talk tech to promote the devices and also real huawei trained tech pple to do after sales support.
Otherwise it will slowly bleed to painfull death
Get the BEST Home/Office LTE WiFi router for only $119 from Econet. It connects up to 32 devices & speeds topping 300mbps. Visit any Econet Shop for more info.
econet has also e same product lol
What is the price of data bandles though? Its not only about hardware, its also about network coverage and support( in this case econet l think hav better coverage)
Also, is the router open to accept other simcards which are not from econet?
EW will always “get you” when you buy the data. They are not cheap, I guess that’s the trade off of speed vs price.
thats a zte poduct. the same pproduct as from netone huawei b315-22 costs $173 at econet !
A great deal would have been having this package on my mobile handset. I don’t understand what the difference is since I will be using the same network and so netone should make similar packages available for their mobile users. In this option, I would not need a modem and if I need to connect more devices I can simply do so by tethering.
Very true and indeed valid! But looks like they also want to make margins by selling hardware(routers) after getting it maybe a bit cheaper from manufacture via distributor price because its the same price, even more to buy it from major online resellers.
how do you top up these bundles when you buy the modem
Cheaper data rates than ZOL Fibroniks essentials which cost $39 for 35GB. Here you get 36GB for the same $39. I don’t understand the rationale of providing a capped fibre service at such an expensive rate. The data is frequently depleted within the first 1 or 2 days of the month and the equipment lies idle for the rest of the month.
Please share the coverage of this network.
“NetOne says they have terms for paying this but our immediate reaction was that this is on the steep side for a router, especially since they are competing with ISPs some of them offering free installation.”
NO THEY ARE NOT COMPETING! Wireless internet is not directly competing with fixed internet. Yes its the same product, it’s all internet, but two different segments. Like SUVs and Sedans. Regular people always compare direct but I expect you guys to know better by now! STOP IT!
“NO THEY ARE NOT COMPETING! ..”
Yes, Kabweza is right, they are competeting with:
1. YoAfrica(wireless isp)
2. Zol(wireless isp)
3.Utande(wireless isp)
4.TelOne(latest wireless isp)
Will stick to my telone packages. Netone is expensive
As much as this looks APPETISING, or DELICIOUS,my worry is how they prepared the meal……CONNECTION SPEED.
Econet launched this product in 2005 stopped selling it because of the price of the device was too high and the technology was overtaken by smart phone wifi teething, wifi pocket modems, wifi hotspots in the home, office&public places . Basically this is a very old and ancient technology as well as a dead revenue stream. The return on investment is nill, they’ll be lucky to push more than 20 units/month. Lets hope they got them for free or on consignment to avoid a colossal loss.
Can not have explained it better, my first modem was the Econet wimax, then got a Zol wimax modem them got a Umax modem. These all became archaic because of wifi broadcast from smartphones. The downfall of these type of routers is they are not portable as they need to be connect to a power source. Bandwidth decreases by the number of connections on the router as well so you can imagine how long it will take one to open a page with Netone’s pathetic speeds.
I really thought OneFi would be a public wifi product
+1
And that’d have been quite something!
Router price – Aiwa !
Ok, “NetOne has introduced NEW data packages!”. Instead of using their 3G/4G router, how about i buy my own thats way cheaper than that Wayeng( Huawei) product. All i see here is an opportunity by MNOs to introduce more cheaper packages.