Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) Director General Gift Machengete said Zimbabwe has the cheapest data in the SADC region.
This comes after a public outcry by disgruntled consumers who complained about data prices amid poor network services.
Speaking at an ICT Parliament Portfolio Committee Machetenge said:
Watch POTRAZ Director General Machengete as he explains about data costs in Zimbabwe
“The cost of data in #Zimbabwe is one of the cheapest in the region, the only problem is people have low disposal income which makes data seem expensive. Another issue with data is that some people are buying expensive unlimited data plans without considering how much data they actually need. Unlimited data plans sometimes are meant for companies with many users like 300 people, not for individual consumers” POTRAZ Director General Machengete
Find out why data is expensive
Below are some of the responses from the consumers.
What a most embarrassing claim by the regulatory body! Who cooked up these ridiculous comparative figures for you? Unfortunately, Potraz is coming across as a singularly incompetent and obstructionist body primarily concerned with defending extortionate mobile network rates: Lashias Ncube
Award winning International Journalist and film maker Hopewell Chin’ono had this to say:
Thank you for tagging me Potraz. I spend a lot of time in South Africa, I recently bought 100gig data on Vodacom for R300 which is US$16. You seem to have looked for the most expensive options instead of the regular options. Data in Zimbabwe is expansive, uncapped fixed internet on Liquid is an equivalent of US$300. Uncapped on Afrihost in South Africa at faster speeds than Liquid is US$47.
The sad thing is that those lying about our data are the privileged who never have to buy that data in the first place: Max Kufakwejeyi
Which region does Zanu-PF refer to? 🤔 Apparently the our RTGS is also the strongest in the region according to Sahwira mukuru: Major General
Airtel Zambia, compare that to econet, PS $1 is equivalent to 24.6 kwacha. You guys from government think that we are blind prople, we don’t know whats happening, we are well traveled and informed: Melusi Sibanda
The Main Bone of Contention is not the Mobile Tariffs its the Data Tariffs where you need to look at Broadband Optical Fibre Based. Mobile Tariffs are a Dying Metric in the Converged Network. The Issue is as shown below. All else is detail: Tjiyapo
It’s embarrassing to see a disreputable regulatory body embarrassing itself like this. Just leave it, please don’t do this😢: Man
How are giving the nation facts an embarrassment. Let’s learn to call a spade by its real name and not follow a false narrative. People requested regional comparisons and we have given them exactly that. Where are we missing each other or perhaps it is a simple matter of negative perception about POTRAZ: Potraz had this to say
There is nothing like that in the region. Nope, we disagree. None. Nowhere: Kudzai Mutisi
Being a regulator doesn’t confer messianic role. They too, regulators, need independent evaluations, in particular where the matter constitutes public interest. Clearly we have a problem: Wellington
You guys are just expensive. And trying to justify by saying unlimited data is for business is just an excuse. I pay Cnd$50 for 150 gig and unlimited after for the same I will pay us$1000 in Zim and the data doesn’t last also: Boss gee Transport
You’re embarrassing yourselves big time Potraz It’s not dark age days where you could lie, use non existent data/ parameters to fool masses. Stop confusing Mobile Tariffs With Data Tariffs. People are mobile to be in 5 SADC countries in a week to experience these data costs live!: Mandla Nkomo
Even Zanu PF has said you are lying that Zimbabwe has the cheapest data tariff check their page: Musa Chivaku
Key word “out of bundle”. Seem there is a misalignment in the public space by mixing “bundle based” data and “out of bundle”. Clarifying the two will give a clear picture of what the regulator is saying, and what the public is saying: Baba vaAisha
Please remember that in all those countries you have mentioned there are Zimbabweans residing there. You did the right thing to communicate but please communicate the truth . Mcel in Moz charges 150mt for 8000mb . 150mt in USD is $2,31 for 8000mbs!: Biggy Mhanda
If he can only use data to a point as he says, that does not mean we are all like him. No we don’t know that sir. Out here we are progressive, intelligent, we want to build our own apps and social media platforms. We want Zim to lead, we want to play in the world classrooms. Ah🤦: Ruwa Dzano
As consumers it’s very difficult to know how much data one uses, thats is why Starlink simplified it, hence why people want Starlink. For Corporations, the unlimited packages are 300USD per 1Mbps, which is 1000 times more expensive than Starlink: Willard Shoko
10gb worth of Econet cannot even last you a week. You are pushing a hustle on social media, you are doing tiktok videos promoting your products, you work from home during the night( your market is in Asia) wonzi tenga 100gb of data. Econet bundle is not even lasting a week: Keith
Actually he should be addressing an issue to say that Service providers should have a rollover provision for unused data. This guy is useless. How was he appointed? It’s surely not on merit. As a nation we have way more than capable people for that role: Ashly Shaba
Data in Zimbabwe is just expensive. We can come with all sorts of explanation but for the ordinary men it’s not easily accessible and expensive: Samuel