THE Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has recently announced that the national mobile penetration and data for the year ended December 2013, has maintained a surge breaking the 100% threshold for the first time ever in Zimbabwe.
By Technomag
The national mobile penetration rate now currently stands at 103,5% with data and Internet also rising to 39,8%, fixed mobile penetration rate was reported to be 2,4% revealed Potraz. The major surge in mobile and data has been attributed to the availability and accessibility of affordable technological gadgets and enhancement of broadband connectivity via fibre, ADSL and wireless communication which are greatly competing for the market shares.
Social networks have been a major mover in data penetration as most Zimbabweans have adapted to the new digital trend as a formidable manner to communicate cutting revenues from the traditional voice operators.
GSM operators are succumbing to this new world order and are finally opening up to new revenue streams in data voice has proved to be under siege from the new emerging disruptive technologies.
VoIP has also been another emerging disruptive technology but it seemed all the three mobile operators in Zimbabwe will not be loosening their screws to see this technology take over as it has been identified as the major threat to their sustainability.
Fixed landlines have not been seeing much of an increase, a move which TelOne is most likely to turn around after the State-owned entity has embarked on a national wide infrastructure resuscitation of mostly their copper cables for reliable communication.
Previously ,mobile penetration was at 98% with data up from 35% signifying a contious growth as Zimbabwe heavily embraces technology. These figures were all less than 10% some five years ago leading Zimbabwe to be recorded the World’s Fastest Growing ICT country, according to the International Telecommunication Union.
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