• Econet launches eTXT, erases line between SMS and the Internet

    A little more than 3 weeks ago, we reported that Econet was working to launch eTXT, an application that allows you to communicate seamlessly with Email, Chat, and social networks through basic SMS. The service was live when we posted the article but you could only access it if you knew it existed.

  • Econet’s intention to launch BlackBerry courts the state’s interest

    Over the past few months, information in the ICT sector has been suggesting Zimbabwean mobile operators are working to get RIM’s BlackBerry services on the local networks. Reports like this one on Telecel we did in December last year. It’s not clear how much progress Telecel has made seeing the engineer said to be working…

  • New Econet service powered by eTXT. SMS to Email, Chat and Facebook

    Today, an email tip pointed us to a new product to be launched soon by Econet Wireless Zimbabwe. We’re not sure what the product will be named but it can be found right now on www.etxt.co.zw and it’s already active. The service allows you to use SMS to communicate seamlessly with Email, Instant Messaging (Gtalk,…

  • Econet reduces mobile data bundle prices, increases bundle sizes

    This week, Econet revised the mobile broadband data bundle and the prices. Mostly, it’s an increase in the size of the data bundles by about 20% to 25% but the price kept the same, which per megabyte, is a price reduction of sorts.

  • Econet hosts Econet Mail outside Zimbabwe, and they explain why

    A friend pointed us to something strange the other day: Econet is hosting Econet Mail outside Zimbabwe. The webmail system is hosted at Rackspace in the United States.

  • Econet’s move into green energy, a welcome development for under-powered Africa

    We attended the launch of Econet Energy, a renewable energy initiative by Econet yesterday. Through the initiative Econet is making a move into solar energy in a bid to guarantee always-available power supply to its telecommunications infrastructure and subscribers.

  • Press Release: Econet Launches ‘Econet Energy’

    Econet Wireless, Zimbabwe’s largest telecoms company, has launched a ‘green’ campaign that will see the company invest in alternative energies, raising environmental awareness and alleviating the crippling impact of worsening power cuts on service.

  • Econet to launch Econet Energy

    We just received an invitation from Econet to attend the launch of a new venture called Econet Energy. The launch is today in Harare. The Econet Wireless Zimbabwe CEO, Douglas Mboweni, will make a presentation at the launch. Here’s an excerpt of the invite:

  • Econet restores hacked website, secures it with test software

    Econet has switched on its Econet Broadband website www.econetbroadband .co.zw, after more than a month of downtime following a hacking incident in December last year. The site is noticeably still using the popular open source content management system Joomla.

  • Zim’s Internet slows down as PowerTel & Econet fibre cables experience outage

    PowerTel and Econet, Zimbabwe’s main suppliers of international internet bandwidth both experienced some downtime on their fibre cables yesterday.

  • Econet launches contract mobile phone plans

    Today, Econet launched a new contract (post-paid) package for mobile subscribers where, if a customer has a minimum salary of US $250, they can get a free mobile phone on contract. We contacted Econet for details of new mobile plan and got some interesting facts you’ll want consider if you’re thinking of getting yourself a…

  • More than a month later, hacked Econet site is still down

    On the evening of 17 December 2010, hackers defaced the Econet Broadband website (www.econetbroadband.co.zw) with some nasty message about Econet not caring about its customers. Econet took the website down some several hours later, along with the main Econet website www.econet.co.zw.

  • The inside of an Econet Mail inbox and our take on it

    So, finally after a back and forth with support@econetmail.com I finally logged into the new Econet mail service today. For those of you who haven’t received logins yet, (or who don’t use Econet lines) we’ve included some screenshots below.

  • Econet mail goes live

    On December 17 last year, Econet announced it was preparing to launch an email system for broadband subscribers. Exactly a month later, Econet Mail has gone live. Econet has announced the system is ready and broadband subscribers will be getting their login credentials via SMS.

  • Econet freezes the accounts of subscribers who “stole” airtime

    At about 4PM on Thursday I got a call from a friend with the news was that he and a couple of his workmates were able to recharge their Econet Buddie lines for free using some leaked recharge codes. He confirmed that he had managed credit his mobile phone with US$ 50 worth of airtime.

  • Econet takes Zim websites offline after hacking incident

    Yesterday evening we reported that the Econet Broadband website www.econetbroadband.co.zw had been hacked. The website stayed pretty much the same much for most the night but it was down when we tried it this morning.

  • Econet to launch email system for broadband subscribers

    Econet Wireless has announced it will be launching an email system for its broadband subscribers before Christmas. Referring to email as the next phase of making Zimbabweans the most digitally connected people in Africa, Econet says it will issue broadband subscribers with free email addresses linked to the Econet mobile number.

  • The Econet broadband website has been hacked

    The Econet Wireless broadband website www.econetbroadband.co.zw has been hacked. We just discovered this right now while working on a story for the new Econet Email system, which we will post later. If you visit the site right now, you will see it’s been defaced with the following banner:

  • Econet engages SA consultants to review broadband prices downwards

    We’re getting information that Econet has engaged consultants from neighboring South Africa to work on the mobile broadband prices.

  • Econet to switch on fibre as early as next week

    On Tuesday this week, Econet announced that it has connected the Seacom optic fibre cable and is ready to switch on once the green light is given by the regulators. Well, we have more news on that today.

  • ICT 2010 Achievers Awards Company of the Year: Econet Wireless Zimbabwe

    Econet has been introducing innovative communication products and services since it commenced operations. During the current year Econet launched two ground breaking services – mobile broadband and EcoLife insurance

  • Econet connects to SEACOM undersea fibre cable

    Econet just announced some 3 milestones today. The first and most significant is that Econet has established a direct connection to the SEACOM undersea optic fibre cable in Durban and is ready to connect customers once given the green light by the regulatory authorities.

  • Econet to lay fibre all the way to Jo’burg

    At the Econet’s Experience Expo held some 2 weeks ago, Liquid Telecom (an Econet subsidiary) made an interesting mention, which from previous discussion with Liquid, we were not aware of.

  • Econet Wireless’s Apple Partnership

    When we posted an article about Econet’s Experience Expo last week, we mentioned the following about the event:

  • Some Pictures From The Econet Experience Expo

    We’re just from the Econet Experience Expo that’s being held in Harare. It’s an Econet only (well, and Econet partners) exhibition which started yesterday and is due to end tomorrow. I thought we’d just go through the exhibition and come back quickly. I was so wrong.

  • Econet To Explain Itself At An Expo

    We’ve been following up some kind of response from Econet to the open letter posted here 4 days ago. We’re still to get it, the formal response anyway. But yesterday, we got something that might help clarify issues raised in the letter.

  • Open Letter To Econet And Its Founders

    Firstly, I love Econet, its brands, and the founder to bits. Having moved that out of the way, allow me to openly rebuke the one that I love.

  • Econet Subscribers Now 4.6 Million, Targets 5 Million By Christmas

    This week, Econet Wireless reached another milestone in its mission to consolidate its top position as the biggest (and most profitable) telecommunications company in Zimbabwe.

  • Econet Says Mobile Broadband Selling Like Hot Cakes

    We’ve just received a press release from Econet with some news we can’t say we expected. Apparently, the recently launched Econet Broadband service has been a “runaway successes surpassing anything the company has experienced before.” Econet says it has connected more than 100,000 subscribers within just a week.

  • Econet Reduces Mobile Broadband Tariffs, More Reductions to Come

    There’s some good news to share today. Econet published new tariffs for its mobile broadband services in the press. On the new tariff schedule, some mobile broadband packages have been reduced by as much 50%. Not all packages have been reduced but hey, any easing of those steep rates is welcome.

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