The price difference between in and out of bundle browsing

So, if you weren’t already aware mobile data is priced differently depending on whether you are browsing in or out of a bundle. These prices are set by the Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) and the authority today put out a statement on the matter.

In-Bundle and Out-of-bundle browsing. The mechanics of bundled services. pic.twitter.com/r9s8QGXuci

— POTRAZ (@Potraz_zw) July 21, 2021

Brief Explanation

On How Bundles Work?

– There are various bundles available to telecommunications
consumers and these include social media bundles (Facebook,
Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram and Viber), pure data bundles and
combo packages (with data, voice, SMS etc).
– These are offered by Telecommunications Service Providers at
in-bundle rate.
– In-bundle rates are tariffs that are lower than the normal
approved rates.
– Bundles can have daily, weekly or monthly validity periods.
– Data bundles refer to capped data packages in which a user is
offered an allotted capacity/ package at a lower price (currently
between ZWL$0.09 – ZWL1.26 per MB) for a specific time frame.

– Anything used within these packages is charged at “in-bundle”
rates.
– If a consumer does not buy a bundle package or exceeds the
capacity they have purchased, they may access internet at
“out-of-bundle” rates.
– Out-of-bundle rates are normal charges which are usually higher
than data bundles. Currently the out-of-bundle rate is at ZWL 1.27
per MB.

POTRAZ

That’s great and all but…

My colleague (Garikai Dzoma) and I are on the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to data bundles. He is not a fan and thinks that there should just be cheaper internet which I agree with. If they can offer in bundle browsing at a “cut” price then they should just do the same for out of bundle browsing.

However, for whatever reason, this isn’t the case, the authorities and MNOs prefer to sequester us in these bundles. My take on it is that bundles (for the moment) are a necessary evil. The only problem is that there are too few services/apps covered by them. If you remember during the height of the WhatsApp privacy policy storm we made the case for opening up the bundle club to other messaging apps.

Econet holds the key to Zim getting a Telegram bundle

As long as we are kept within the bundles we have now WhatsApp will continue being the internet in Zimbabwe.