NetOne suspending customers who they suspect to have hacked their internet

Netone HQ, employee ZWL$150 million, airtime, system upgrade

NetOne is suspending customers that they suspect to have hacked their internet using VPNs. Now just to clear things up, the use of a VPN isn’t illegal. They are applications that a number of people have had to use from time to time. Well, mainly when the government shut down the internet.

Using a VPN for anything beyond what it isn’t intended for will most certainly find yourself in trouble with your mobile service provider. One of the ways that some misuse VPNs is for free data (the most popular one for free data is DroidVPN). A couple of months ago we put out a video all about the subject of VPNs in general, and the infamous DroidVPN.

So what does this have to do with NetOne suspending customers?

We received a tip-off from someone who said that they had their data suspended by NetOne for using a VPN:

We reached out to our sources at NetOne and they said they don’t suspend data for anyone using a VPN. NetOne does, however, suspend data for customers who’s internet activity is flagged as suspicious by their systems. So if a customer uses up NetOne’s bandwidth with an illegal VPN workaround to access free data. Then that customer will have their data access suspended.

NetOne is well within its rights to suspend the data of people who use VPNs like DroidVPN to access free data.

However…

There have also been reports of customers who are using VPNs for their intended purpose and are getting caught in the net. On the 31st of July when we all suspected that there might some sort of internet shutdown. Many people would have downloaded a VPN if there was a partial shutdown of the internet. There was an even greater incentive to this when TunnelBear VPN came in. The VPN service, at the time, offered Zimbabweans 10 GB of usage access on their platform.

The unfortunate result of all of this is that some customers may not know why their data suddenly stopped working. They may have been using a VPN correctly and their activity may have been false flagged.

A possible way to avoid suspending data for customers who are within bounds would be to send some sort of warning message. Notifying customers that NetOne has detected some unusual activity will help those in clear to clarify their position. It would also deter those who may have been abusing NetOne’s services.

If NetOne has suspended your data, what can be done?

In either case (proper or improper use of a VPN), the only route to resolve this is to call customer services (123). For customers who are in the clear, this is an unnecessary hassle. But it’s worth noting that NetOne is just trying to stop the leak and the hope is that they find a way to fine-tune this process.

46 comments

  1. Abisha Chimeura

    Your articles are too shallow.even your referred last video on VPNs

    1. Pay Your Bills

      Let me guess you are one of those stealing data and were just looking for something negative to say. Stealing bandwidth ruins the quality of service for those paying. Nxa!

      1. Mr NetOne

        U must be crazy heee, just insulting someone on basis of an assumption. 😒

      2. tinm@n

        VPN use precedes bypassing government controls and geofenced streaming services

        It’s shallow to think that’s what it’s for.

        It’s been used in IT for decades

      3. Passmore
    2. Mik

      You forgot to say”for me” you’re welcome.

      1. Skhavoc

        Aaaa as for me i ddnt know it was stealing data 😔😔

  2. Anonymous

    After you people rectify this problem of illegal data usage then stand up and pay back the large sums of airtime some customers have cried above.. And also a good customer service response

  3. Labels

    Even if they suspend those who used vpns
    Its a loss to them because those people are walking around free withouth paying any money

  4. Easer Neni

    Data is just too expensive in Zimbabwe.Its up to the signal careers to strike a balance between staying afloat and coming up with competive data packages.Otherwise customers will device a work around plan.

    1. Anonymous

      Amen broo

    2. Asocial Garçon

      Word

  5. BLVCK LE ROUX

    if only people knew even zol and econet could be hacked. Its been 4 yrs for me with free zol and econet internet. Ini zii

    1. Prezha Manager

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      Ndipeiwo yezol 0774243750

    3. Franklin

      Hit my whatsap number +263733450099

    4. Franklin

      Ndipowo hama

    5. Anonymous

      Ndipewo kaa kkkk app #
      0784038290

    6. Anonymous

      Share me awe econet bro😊😊
      078 429 9709

    7. SMOKE

      Ndipeiwo hama 0714174949

  6. Skhavoc

    As for me i ddnt know it was stealing data from netone 😔😔😔

    1. Anonymous

      using a vpn is nt stealing data and its not hacking,i suggest you do a research on vpns

  7. Anonymous

    techzim your articles ndeekufungidzira you dont have a valid proof yezvamunonyora,zvamukufungira kuty ndoozvikuitika ndozvamunobva mapublisher,be accurate pliz

  8. Imi vanhu musadaro

    Techzim, how does using a VPN give you free data? 😳 (25marks)

  9. Anonymous

    Dnt be fooled no one tracks you while using vpn ,its private nd the net is from free servers from america and netone is just hosting they re not loosing anything……the news is fake

    1. Anonymous

      True thing 😂 netone data is not being used they are just a host

      1. Eddie

        If the internet is free, pluck out your simcard and connect to America 🇺🇸 🤷‍♂️

        You need to understand that bandwidth is paid for, and there are interconnection fees. (Of which Zim gets none because most traffic is outbound, so they only pay). NetOne has to pay for the bandwidth you used for free, and that’s definitely stealing.

        There is infrastructure that needs installation and maintenance. Base stations, Fibre backbone for LTE. Aaaaaand you say free

        Anyways, the use of that VPN breaks their TOs and is cyber crime.

    2. Sendelikayise

      But people are recieving messages that they should pay large sums of money for using VPNs😔😔

  10. Anonymous

    you don’t attack us as customers because we even paid to get access to the 10gb…..and this was a result of the raise in your data which ain’t feasible…. you should reach out for agreements with the people building these softwares and stop attackjng us because we ain’t your problem but thank us for we helped in exposing loop holes in your systems and if you can kindly give us back our internet access and find a way forward to your problems…… my advice to you is to wipe down your tech teams they’re the ones who understand your loopholes and how to bypass your network systems thank you.

    1. Samtin

      Those varikuti our lines were blocked by netone. Settings to unblock aveko 😁😁😁

      1. Nash The Phoenix

        Can l please get the settings 0712102363

  11. Anonymous

    Vpn is not illegal at all. It’s a secure way of communication within another network. If oa systems are not capable just shut down and start a new chapter after all.

  12. ndiri mugweru zvangu

    kkkk izvi zvanyanya mafeelings izvi….

    vamwe kapopotero kenyu its like mwana atorerwa yonini akuda kuyamwa….

    1. Gabezy

      Saka yakagadzirirwyi von yacho netone musajairira vanhu imi

  13. mkaay

    id just like to ask if there will be any arrests

  14. General

    How much is the 3 Terabytes I have to payback ….. I want to start selling vpn settings so that I can raise money for bail

  15. We are anonymous

    I honestly think Netone does not have the technical knowledge to stop this loophole ..And they are sending fake mesages across social media platforms to try and frighten people to stop using the vpn🤔

  16. Yollanda

    Kkkk thus fun eyy

  17. Yollanda

    Kkkk

  18. ANDREW CHIPETA

    Reading this while connected to droid vpn

  19. 😂 😂

    It’s just an application why are you seriously offended 😂

  20. Anonymous

    pamberi ne droda

  21. 🎲hooo Makasar hoo🎲🎰🃏

    Guys kutaura tingataura edu zvatolover tichiona like netone yakapusa ,tichiita like chituta aina zvainoziva but momboziva ere kut kutotipa free data kwairikutiita nekuda kwedroid kutodana macustomers kwairi Kuita zvekuti pamwe ikutoremera anana ECONET musingatozvizive

    Pamwe Iyo yakasiyna nezvekutemba nekutengesa ma juice cards ne the likes pamwe yakutongoita mari nemasim cards Chet koz munu wese akangonzwa nezvedroid anenge akutongodawo line racho… 😁😁

    So team iri arina kupusa gyz rikuziva zvarikuita

    Buuuut 1 day chatirikudya chenetone ichi chichatipfukira hedu zvekuti ipapo tichataura

  22. Mr. Man

    Hayas. Zimbabweans. Always finding a solution for their day to day problems

  23. Gabezy

    Saka yakagadzirirwyi von yacho netone musajairira vanhu imi

  24. Passmore
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