Zimbabweans are Consuming Record Data Amounts - Could It Be Due to Unlimited Data Offerings?
Drop in Voice Calls Gives Way to Internet-Based Communication in Zimbabwe
In a not-so-surprising turn of events, voice calls have taken a hit while internet usage surges in Zimbabwe. Foundering voice traffic by 7.46% in Q3 2024 is a testament to the dominance of internet-based communication. But fear not, old-school chat enthusiasts, voice isn't going anywhere just yet in the vibrant and diverse African nation.
A Steep Drop in Voice Traffic
While voice calls may not be dying out, they did suffer a blow in Q3 2024. Mobile voice traffic plummeted by a significant 7.46%, according to the telecoms regulator POTRAZ. The culprit? none other than internet-based calling.
Skyrocketing Internet Use
What's not surprising then, is that mobile internet traffic saw an unprecedented surge of 19.22% in the same period. That's a boom from 65.75 to 78.38 petabytes (PBs), with a large chunk of that growth coming from Econet.
Econet's Dominance
The total number of active internet subscriptions was a staggering 12,042,864 in Q3. That's quite the average of under 6.5GB per person in three months, or approximately 2.2GB per month—higher than some might expect.
However, it's worth noting that a few heavy users are skewing the average. We've still got plenty of folks huddled around $1 WhatsApp bundles, Limited to a mere 120MB. These light users would only consume around 1.4GB in a quarter—far below the total average.
WhatsApp and Econet's Limitations
One intriguing detail is that Econet, the biggest mobile operator, cripples its WhatsApp bundles to disallow calls. That leaves texting and voice notes as the preferred modes of communication for users of these packages, relegating calls to urgent situations.
Struggling with Affordability
We'd all love to see a broader internet experience for everyone, but affordability remains a stubborn hurdle. While a 19.22% increase in usage is nothing to scoff at, it could be much higher if the affordability issue was resolved. The demand is there; all that's needed is prices to match incomes.
The Impact of "Unlimited" Data Packages
Still, we're anticipating an even more sizeable jump in data usage in Q4 2024, thanks to the entrance of so-called "unlimited" mobile data packages. It's quite refreshing to see more packages on the market, such as Econet's SmartBiz and Smart4You offerings.
However, despite these relatively unrestricted packages, they're not truly unlimited in the truest sense.
The Starlink Effect
Starlink's entry into the market has already put pressure on mobile operators to revamp their offerings, but its long-term impact remains to be seen.
Interestingly, it's the heavy users, who can afford satellite internet solutions like Starlink, that have the potential to decrease mobile data usage. As these users turn to Wi-Fi, mobile operators can only hope the work-from-home trend doesn't catch on too much, as it might mean less mobile data use when Wi-Fi is available.
Wrapping Up
Voice calls, despite their plunge, still play a significant role in Zimbabwe's communication landscape due to their affordability and accessibility. While internet-based communication is on the rise, economic factors and infrastructure constraints keep voice calls relevant for many users. The next few quarters will offer valuable insights into the future of traditional voice calls versus the age of internet communication. It's an evolving landscape, and we're clearly headed in an exciting direction.
- With the decrease in voice call usage, there might be a growing need for personal-finance strategies to manage the ongoing data expenses from increased internet access, as people shift towards internet-based communication.
- As mobile operators struggle to maintain their market share, some are exploring data-and-cloud-computing solutions like "unlimited" packages to attract more customers and compete with emerging technology and services, such as Starlink.
- With mobile operators preparing for Q4 data usage surge due to new data packages, a potential outcome could be increased competition between mobile operators and satellite internet providers like Starlink, which may lead to more affordable internet access for the average Zimbabwean consumer, benefiting their personal-finance management.
