By Staff Reporter
As the local currency continues to nose dive galloping to over 40 000 on the parallel market, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are digging in, literally ditching most promotional. Bundles denominated in the Zimbabwean dollar.
A glean at the major operators Econet and Netone show most of their popular bundles have disappeared from their menu whilst telecel still retains most of its offerings.
State owned Netone has made it difficult for one to access their airtime in local Currency with the only option being their mobile money unit, One Money. Whilst buying airtime through One Money was previously free, the mobile operator has now introduced a levy on each purchase of airtime and for every 10000 worth of airtime the charge is just over a 1000 representing an average of 10% charge.
Netone’s growth in the past has been underpinned by its favourable bundles popularised by the One Fusion package. Sadly the package is no longer available in local currency joined on the list by Dollar a day, Night and Dzidzo Bundle offers. Airtime transfer and buying of airtime for a different One Money Number is also no longer available.
However unlike Econet, Netone still has social and voice bundles available in local currency. The former has literally ditched promotional bundles in local currency leaving only airtime and regular data available.
Consumers have also indicated a disparity in usage between local and USD denominated airtime and data.
“It’s a huge challenge to call especially Econet from a Netone number when you have local currency airtime and vice versa, it gets worse on data as it seems local currency data gets exhausted quickly than the USD denominated one,” said Joanne, a consumer who says he has sim cards from both of these operators.
Consumers have for long decried being short changed by MNOs especially when it comes to data pricing, but regulator POTRAZ has always fought in the corner of MNOs with its Director General recently saying Zimbabwe has the cheapest data in the region much to the chagrin of mobile network users.