At first the table Econet sent out to publications said they were going to be charging $0.038 per second which translated to $2.28 per minute. We were all shocked. This article was first written with that context after we failed to reach Econet.
However, Econet made a typographical and mathematical error. They are actually charging $0.0036 per second which translates to around $0.23 per minute. They have officially sent a revised table with the more accurate position.
We are keeping the below as context for whoever is reading this and can’t understand what we are talking about:
Econet has increased tariffs for voice calls. Officially we are going back to beeping each other now.
They have split their billing into per second billing and per minute billing. Our assumption is that customers will be given the option to choose what they want, whether to be billed per minute or per second.
According to their notice in The Herald, here are the new Econet tariffs:
Per minute billing: not too bad but…
Econet will now be charging $0.22 per minute ($0.21257). It’s not too far from where tariffs used to be. However, per minute billing means that even if your call lasts for 10 seconds, you will still pay the 22 cents.
If you are on a call and it crosses over into the second minute just by a fraction you will pay 44 cents. This is the kind of billing we knew in Zimbabwe when cell phones first became popular.
Per second billing, crazy!
Econet will now be charging $0.038 per second. When you call for a minute you are going to be charged $2.28!!!
This pricing does not make sense even if you take into account the interbank rate. If we assume the interbank rate between the USD and RTGS$ to be 1:3, it would mean Econet has increased the USD pricing as well to $0.76. That’s expensive.
When will you be paying this?
These tariffs will start applying on the first of April.
Unanswered questions
We have been failing to get hold of Econet to understand if they got authorisation from POTRAZ to increase tariffs. Last week POTRAZ issued a directive that kept tariffs at the same levels.
We will be updating as we get more information
16 comments
haaayasss!!!
Potraz is useless
Zol data is also seeung a ridiculously huge increase.
I suspect 0.038 should actually be 0.0038 which is 22.8 cents per minute – probably a typo but worth clarifying
I suspect 0.038 should actually be 0.0038 which is 22.8 cents per minute – probably a typo but worth clarifying
Seems that way – can’t be accurate (I hope 🙂
I think there is some mistake in the conversion of the per minute to per second billing. 0.22/60 would yield 0.0037 per second. Kindly clarify apo Techzim
I agree with @anthonysomerset, clarity is needed because the price difference is just ridiculous. The increase however is in with all other things that are going up. It is the economy and for now that’s the only way to go…
no answer from these techzim analysts/mathematicians on above comments???
why does the guy in the headline pic need glasses? Hes looking straight at his mobile above the glasses, so whats the actual use of glasses to him? just asking….. do useless eyeglasses somehow make one look just a little bit more intelligent ? whats the scoop there … ???
Suspected the typo and am in conversation with Econet. They confirming this internally.
Can’t change this until they have confirmed this is a typo. Especially so because when you multiply $0.0038n by 60 you get $0.228 which is very different from the per minute rate they put at $0.2157.
If the typo was clearly visible we would have just assumed it easily. Now we have to wait for Econet to confirm that it is a typo.
So far even the internal documents they sent us are saying $0.038 per second
Thank you @Tinashe. We hope its a typo error, else good bye phone calls and welcome Whatsapp..
still asking : “why does the guy in the headline pic need glasses? Hes looking straight at his mobile above the glasses, so whats the actual use of glasses to him? just asking….. do useless eyeglasses somehow make one look just a little bit more intelligent ? whats the scoop there … ??? is he somehow “cleverer” coz of glasses ??
Maybe he’s short sited. He needs the glasses when he wants to focus on things that are are several meters from him and when he’s focusing on things right before his face he peeps over the glasses. It’s a chore to take them off and on every time.
https://www.myzimbabwe.co.zw/technology/43145-subscribers-to-pay-rtgs2-28-per-minute-econet-wireless-apologises.html
The article you sent still has errors. Here’s the actual tariff:
https://www.techzim.co.zw/2019/03/so-econet-made-a-typo-their-voice-tariffs-are-not-so-high/
Econet made both a mathematical and typographical error