By Business Reporter-Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, has reported a surprising 44% year-on-year increase in voice call volumes for the quarter ending 31 May 2025, challenging widespread assumptions about the declining relevance of traditional voice services in the digital age.
The increase in voice traffic was accompanied by more than a twofold rise in data usage, according to the company’s latest quarterly trading update released this week. The figures suggest that despite the shift towards internet-based communication, basic connectivity services remain critical in Zimbabwe’s telecoms landscape.
While the growth in voice call volumes may appear encouraging on the surface, it comes at a time when Econet is facing intensifying pressure on multiple fronts—chief among them, deteriorating service quality and fierce competition from new market entrants such as Starlink.
Mounting Service Delivery Challenges
In recent years, Econet has struggled with widespread customer complaints over poor network coverage, frequent call dropouts, slow internet speeds, and erratic billing systems. The company has often cited power shortages, foreign currency constraints, and high operating costs as key factors hindering its ability to provide consistent and reliable service.
Urban and rural subscribers alike have taken to social media and consumer watchdog platforms to air their frustrations, particularly over delayed responses to technical faults, long queues at customer care centres, and degraded network performance during peak hours. As the economy digitises, Econet’s infrastructure has often buckled under the weight of growing demand.
Starlink Disrupts the Playing Field
Econet’s challenges are further compounded by the entrance of Elon Musk’s Starlink, the satellite internet service that officially launched in Zimbabwe earlier this year. Starlink has quickly gained ground, especially in rural and remote areas where Econet and other traditional mobile network operators have historically struggled to provide reliable coverage.
Offering high-speed internet with nationwide reach, minimal latency, and no dependence on terrestrial infrastructure, Starlink is emerging as a game-changer. Its competitive pricing and ease of installation have attracted users from various sectors—households, small businesses, schools, and NGOs—who are increasingly opting out of Econet’s unreliable services.
Analysts have warned that unless Econet significantly upgrades its infrastructure and improves customer satisfaction, it risks losing its market share to newer, more agile competitors that are capitalising on its weaknesses.
Strategic Response and Inclusion Efforts
In response, Econet has taken steps to improve digital inclusion and stimulate growth in its user base. The company announced a major revamp of its Kancane Kancane smartphone financing scheme, removing upfront deposit requirements and extending repayment terms up to 24 months. This move aims to address affordability challenges and boost smartphone penetration, which stood at just 55% according to 2024 data from the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ).
“We’re giving customers the chance to step into the digital world without high upfront costs,” Econet said, framing the programme as a cornerstone of its national digital inclusion agenda.
The company also reported continued investment in network infrastructure, including the deployment of 10 cost-effective rural base stations, the commissioning of 20 new network sites, and the expansion of its 5G coverage to an additional 100 locations countrywide.
Looking Ahead
Despite its strategic efforts, Econet’s long-term survival may depend on more than just incremental improvements. With satellite internet rapidly altering Zimbabwe’s connectivity terrain, the telecom giant must confront its legacy inefficiencies and innovate beyond traditional models if it hopes to stay relevant in an increasingly competitive and digitally driven market.