• Econet contract subscribers have paid more for broadband all along!

    If you’re like us you probably assumed the new Econet data tariffs announced in March applied to all subscribers, pre and post paid. Not so! Those only apply to prepaid subscribers. The contract customers – that small but loyal and very high value category – were actually paying more for their data all along. You’d…

  • New Steward Bank banks on Econet relationship for product innovation

    Today we attended a (now former) TN Bank event where the company launched its new name Steward Bank. The rebranding comes a few months after the bank was acquired by Econet Wireless from its former owner Tawanda Nyambirai. It was made clear at the event by the bank CEO, Kwanele Ngwenya, that the bank’s services…

  • Econet Wireless & Mahindra Comviva win GTB award for EcoCash

    Econet Wireless and Mahindra Comviva recently won a Global Telecoms Business (GTB) award for the EcoCash mobile money transfer project. Mahindra Comviva are the suppliers of the platform that EcoCash runs on.

  • EcoCash DStv payment: The problems and Econet’s response

    About a month ago, Econet introduced a new ultra-convenient way to pay for DStv subscriptions. A few days later, we tried it ourselves and it worked as promised; seamless!

  • Econet Wireless Zimbabwe full year profits down by 16%

    Today, Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, the company that has the lion’s share of the mobile telephony & broadband business in Zimbabwe, announced at a press briefing their annual financial results the period ending February 2013.

  • Ditch your bank if they’re not connected to EcoCash, says Econet

    Between December 2012 and February this year, Econet announced in quick succession, the integration of its EcoCash mobile money transfer service to traditional banks, allowing EcoCash users to transfer money seamlessly between their bank accounts and EcoCash Wallets. It was CBZ, TN Bank, Stanbic, Agribank then ZB Bank.

  • Samsung Galaxy S4 now being sold at Econet Wireless Zimbabwe

    Econet Wireless Zimbabwe has announced that it’s now selling Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4, in its Harare and Bulwayo stores. So far, the price revealed is US $900 cash. Ads in the press and the company’s Facebook page say however that payment options are available in the stores.

  • Econet partners Paynet for EcoCash payroll service (updated)

    We just got information that Econet and Paynet, a local payments & payments software company, have partnered to offer a new EcoCash service that will enable companies to pay salaries directly into their employees’ EcoCash wallets. The service will likely be announced in the coming days.

  • Econet and Ezetopup: The how to and review

    A while ago Econet joined the Eztopup platform. Eztopup is an online international company that allows people to buy airtime online using Paypal, Mastercard and Visa Cards. Econet did this ostensibly so those in diaspora can send airtime to their relatives in Zimbabwe. The platform however can be used to buy airtime for your own…

  • Zim mobile operators on social media: Econet surpasses Telecel in popularity

    When we listed Zimbabwe’s most ‘Liked’ pages on Facebook late last year, one company was clearly conspicuous by its absence from the list of companies and brands that had the largest following on the social network; Econet. This despite that offline, the company commands one of the highest, if not the highest, customer base in…

  • Econet Wireless, vanishing airtime, POTRAZ, and transparency

    What would have happened if subscribers hadn’t taken to social media to complain? What about if this had affected just 50 people who all didn’t notice? How do we even know this was the first time? What mechanisms does POTRAZ have in place to ensure these glitches are detected when they happen? Does POTRAZ audit…

  • Review: The Econet 3G mobile Wi-Fi device

    Close to two weeks ago, we received a test unit of the Econet Huawei mobile Wi-Fi device for review. Being a small operation ourselves, we decided to start using it as our primary office connection since then so that we speak about the reliability, stability, speed and other things from a point of actually having…

  • New Econet Services company a response to plateaued telecoms business

    In October last year, it emerged that the Econet Wireless Group had formed a new company to drive the EcoCash mobile money service. Econet Services. The new company wasn’t “launched” or “announced” formally in the market, as far as we could tell at least. The change was treated subtly by Econet in as far as…

  • Econet launches 3G mobile Wi-Fi device, competes with fixed broadband providers

    Last week, Econet introduced a mobile Wi-Fi (MiFi if you want) device aimed directly at “small group” broadband users. That will be your home and small business users. In many ways therefore this product competes directly with the fixed broadband providers, especially as this comes after a broadband tariff slash 3 weeks ago by the…

  • Press Release: Econet launches virtual debit card

    Zimbabwe’s largest mobile phone company, Econet Wireless, has unveiled an innovative functionality on its mobile money service EcoCash which allows a cell phone to also operate as a virtual debit card.

  • Econet introduces EcoCash Debit Card, a mobile phone to POS payment solution

    Earlier in the day we learnt and posted that Econet would launching a mobile phone to POS payment solution tonight. We’re just from the event, and most of the information we had is what was announced tonight. The company is introducing its own POS terminals to accept payments from EcoCash mobile wallets. The products is…

  • Econet to launch Point of Sale EcoCash debit product (updated)

    Remember when Econet promised they’d be launching a product that would excite the whole EcoCash ecosystem? It’s probably happening tonight.

  • Econet reduces mobile broadband prices by as much as 73%

    We just got news that Econet has reduced tariffs on its mobile broadband service. The reduction will likely be announced in the coming days but we’re told it’s effective already. From what we can see the reduction is by at least 33% and as much 73%.

  • Econet explains why the new EcoCash tariffs are cheaper overall

    When we first posted the announcement of the EcoCash Tariff review by Econet a few days ago, we noted that small amounts, that is most value ranges below $50, had actually become more expensive, while the larger amounts are significantly cheaper.

  • Econet introduces new solar power products

    Yesterday we attended the launch by Econet of a new solar charger/lantern/radio combo product called the Power Lantern SW015. The product is an improvement of the lantern that was on the market which, according to Econet Services CEO, Darlington Mandivenga, the company sold 400,000 of.

  • Econet reviews EcoCash mobile money transfer tariffs

    Econet has announced through adverts in the press the ‘reduction’ of tariffs of its mobile money transfer service, EcoCash. The move follows a directive from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) and general pressure from the market to review the charges. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, in his 31 January Monetary Policy Statement, issued…

  • Actually, our 3G modem price is lower, says Econet

    Yesterday, we posted that Telecel’s $30 3G modem was the latest and greatest modem deal out there. Not quite true, commented an Econet staffer seconds after we hit the publish button!

  • Econet to split shares 10 to 1 to make them more accessible

    Econet just sent out a press release today to basically say they’d like to go back to their founding roots when the majority of the company’s shares where in the hands of ordinary people, and that to do that they will be splitting the company’s shares 10 to 1.

  • Econet on EcoCash open access: “Hey banks, here’s the deal…”

    Yesterday, Econet made an announcement via a release to assure the market that issues (these, issues) have been resolved with “virtually all banks” and that if everything works according to plan, all banks that want to be connected to EcoCash, would be integrated by end of March 2013. According to the release Econet is apparently…

  • Econet hires BankservAfrica boss for new EcoCash CEO position

    Just a week after announcing the hire of former FNB executive to head its newly acquired bank, Econet disclosed today (somewhat inadvertently) the hire of another banker, Cuthbert Tembedza, to fill a newly created position of EcoCash CEO.

  • Econet reduces international call tariffs to local rates

    Econet Wireless the largest telecoms firm in Zimbabwe has slashed the tariffs on calls to 5 international destinations to local rates. In adverts published in the local print press, the company announced that subscribers can now call South Africa, United Kingdom, USA, China and Canada at 24 cents per minute.

  • EcoCash vs Banks: Econet is trying to confuse everyone, says FBC’s Mushayavanhu

    As you may know, Econet came out yesterday to publicly accuse CABS, ZimSwitch and Kevin Terry of using the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe to fight Econet’s mobile money product EcoCash. The CABS MD, according to campaigning against EcoCash so he can push his own mobile money/banking product, Textacash. Textacash you will remember is basically an…

  • Econet appoints SA Banker as new TN Bank CEO

    We just received a statement from Econet announcing the appointment of South Africa banker, Kwanele Ngwenya, as CEO of it’s newly acquired financial institution, TN Bank. Ngwenya was Director of Commercial Segment at First National Bank’s (FNB) Botswana operation.

  • Econet accuses CABS, ZimSwitch & Kevin Terry of trying to frustrate EcoCash

    Press releases are usually filled with exaggerated self-praise and sometimes some subdued remarks subtly attacking the competition. Not with today’s press release from Econet Wireless which we posted earlier. The company has fired a salvo at CABS, ZimSwitch and Kevin Terry accusing them of using the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe to fight the EcoCash mobile…

  • Review: The $300 ZTE Light Tab on sale at Econet Wireless

    The temptation locally when you hear of a $315 Android tablet is to write it off as one of those clunky cheap Asian tablets abundant in downtown tech gadget shops. You couldn’t be more wrong thinking that about the 7-inch ZTE Light Tab 2

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