It recently came as a surprise when NetOne announced another tariffs hike. It had become the norm that NetOne tends to delay reviewing its tariffs. Their review came shortly after Econet has also reviewed their tariffs. It suffices to say that things like data have become too expensive for most Zimbabweans. Ask yourself this, how many people can honestly afford at least ZWL$3000 for data every month? Sadly that is now the case – if you have less than ZWL$3000 you cannot buy a decent monthly data bundle. Let us look at new NetOne bundle prices and tariffs:
WhatsApp
| Validity (Days) |
Price (ZWL$) |
Data (MB) |
| |
|
|
| 1 |
30 |
20 |
| 1 |
60 |
50 |
| 7 |
100 |
70 |
| 7 |
200 |
150 |
| 30 |
300 |
300 |
| 30 |
675 |
750 |
| |
|
|
One Fusion
| Price |
On-Net |
Off-Net |
Data |
WhatsApp |
| |
|
|
|
|
| (ZWL$) |
(Mins) |
(Mins) |
(MB) |
(MB) |
| |
|
|
|
|
| 500 |
15 |
5 |
180 |
90 |
| 750 |
25 |
10 |
400 |
160 |
| 1500 |
80 |
60 |
1000 |
360 |
| |
|
|
|
|
One Fi
| Validity (Days) |
Price (ZWL$) |
Data (GB) |
| |
|
|
| 30 |
3500 |
10 |
| 30 |
5500 |
25 |
| 30 |
8000 |
50 |
| 30 |
10000 |
80 |
| |
|
|
This is a good place to do a comparison with Econet. Many people spend more time on the internet nowadays. Not really out of fun but necessity so these private Wi-Fi bundles are extremely important.
Here are Econet’s Private Wi-Fi bundle packages:
Econet
| Validity (Days) |
Price (ZWL$) |
Data (GB) |
| |
|
|
| 30 |
3000 |
8 |
| 30 |
4500 |
15 |
| 30 |
5500 |
25 |
| 30 |
8500 |
50 |
| |
|
|
What Econet has strategically done here is to offer the cheapest monthly Wi-Fi bundle. So this will most likely see some loyal NetOne users swaying to Econet for that 8 GB option. Econet has been offering this option for a while now; I wonder why NetOne does not counter it by offering it as well.
Back to NetOne packages,
Data Bundles
Hourly Data Bundles
| Price (ZWL$) |
Data (MB) |
| |
|
| 125 |
1024 (1 Hour) |
| 225 |
1024 (2 Hours) |
| |
|
On the hourly data, bundles are where Econet is outsmarting NetOne as well. Their packages are as follows:
Econet
| Price (ZWL$) |
Data (GB) |
| |
|
| 117 |
1 (1 Hour) |
| 195 |
1 (2 Hours) |
| 254 |
1.5 (2 Hours) |
| |
|
Econet is cheaper and has provided an additional option. NetOne might want to consider this next they review their packages.
Moving on with NetOne packages,
Daily Data Bundles
| Price (ZWL$) |
Data (MB) |
| |
|
| 45 |
30 |
| 110 |
80 |
| 250 |
200 |
| 450 |
480 |
| 650 |
960 |
| 750 |
1200 |
| |
|
Weekly Data Bundles
| Price (ZWL$) |
Data (MB) |
| |
|
| 45 |
30 |
| 85 |
60 |
| 220 |
160 |
| 420 |
350 |
| 750 |
700 |
| 3000 |
5000 |
| |
|
Monthly Data Bundles
| Price (ZWL$) |
Data (MB) |
| |
|
| 300 |
200 |
| 650 |
450 |
| 1800 |
1500 |
| 3000 |
3500 |
| 4000 |
5000 |
| 5000 |
8000 |
| |
|
Voice Bundles
Khuluma 24/7
| Validity (Days) |
Price (ZWL$) |
Duration (Mins) |
| |
|
|
| 2 |
50 |
6 |
| 3 |
90 |
12 |
| 5 |
170 |
25 |
| |
|
|
DAD – Dollar A Day
| Validity |
Price |
Duration |
SMSes |
| |
|
|
|
| (Days) |
(ZWL$) |
(Mins) |
|
| |
|
|
|
| 1 |
120 |
20 |
10 |
| 2 |
200 |
40 |
20 |
| 3 |
480 |
100 |
70 |
SMS Bundles
| Validity (Days) |
Price (ZWL$) |
SMSes |
| |
|
|
| 1 |
6.25 |
8 |
| 1 |
18 |
25 |
| 1 |
35 |
50 |
| 7 |
55 |
90 |
| 7 |
100 |
200 |
| 7 |
250 |
500 |
| |
|
|
25th Anniversary Data Bundle
This is a data bundle that NetOne recently unveiled.
| Validity (Hours) |
Price (ZWL$) |
Data (MB) |
| |
|
|
| 25 |
500 |
5000 |
| |
|
|
Network challenges are now the norm with both NetOne and Econet. It is now harder to recommend between the two. I advise having SIM cards for both mobile network operators (MNOs) just in case. You will find some areas with a top-notch Econet network. You will also find some areas with a top-notch NetOne network. To avoid inconveniences having them both is the way to go. However, that might not align with many people’s pockets. That would mean purchasing data bundles for both SIM cards. What about when you never get to use data in the other SIM card? You see, the issue of network challenges is something Zimbabwean MNOs must address urgently.
