2019 Zimbabwe - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 22 Apr 2020 Update History

Report Status: Archived

Report Pages: 133

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Publication Overview

This report provides a comprehensive overview of trends and developments in Zimbabwe’s telecommunications market. The report analyses the fixed-line, mobile and broadband sectors. Subjects include:

Market and industry analyses, trends and developments;
Facts, figures and statistics;
Industry and regulatory issues;
Infrastructure developments;
Major Players, Revenues, Subscribers, ARPU, MoU;
Mobile Voice and Data Markets;
Broadband (FttP, DSL, cable, wireless);
Mobile subscribers and ARPU;
Broadband market forecasts;
Government policies affecting the telecoms industry;
Market liberalisation and industry issues;
Telecoms operators – privatisation, IPOs, acquisitions, new licences;
Mobile technologies (GSM; 3G, HSPA, LTE).

Researcher:- Henry Lancaster
Current publication date:- May 2019 (17th Edition)

Executive Summary

Zimbabwe government planning merger of TelOne and NetOne pre-sale

Revenue from Zimbabwe’s telecom sector has come under pressure from a number of recent regulatory measures and taxes imposed by the cash-strapped government. Nevertheless, the sector shows some promise for coming years, particularly from the mobile segment where active mobile penetration has increased rapidly, reaching 93% by early 2019. The three mobile network operators Econet Wireless, NetOne and Telecel Zimbabwe continue to invest in network upgrades to support data services and their fast-expanding m-commerce and m-banking facilities.

The government in April 2019 outlined its plans to merge TelOne and NetOne and sell off a majority stake in the operator as part of a wider plan to offset state debt.

Limitations in international bandwidth for the landlocked country for many years held back development of the internet and broadband sectors, but this has changed since fibre optic links to several submarine cables were established via neighbouring territories. The expansion of 3G and LTE-based mobile broadband services have meant that more than half of the population now has access to the internet. Investment in fixed broadband infrastructure has also resulted in a slow but steady growth in the number of DSL connections, as also in fibre subscriptions.

BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.

On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.

Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.

The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.

Key developments:

Telcos agree to the government's infrastructure sharing policy;
TelOne providing satellite broadband with Avanti Communications;
Government enforces m-money interoperability on MNOs, changes m-money tax basis;
NetOne refreshes m-money service;
Regulator confirms no room for a fourth mobile licensee;
Regulator drafts framework on MVNO licences;
Government begins $250 million investment to build 500 mobile towers to serve rural areas;
Econet expands m-commerce;
Government considers merging TelOne with NetOne and selling a majority stake in the two;
Draft legislation issued to repeal Post and Telecommunications Act;
Regulator proposes to create a new Virtual Network Operator (VNO) license category;
Report update includes the regulator's market data to December 2018, telcos' operating and financial data to August 2018, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

TelOne, Econet, TeleAccess, Afritell, DataOne, Powertel Communications, Telco Internet, Broadlands Networks, Aquiva, Africa Online, ComOne, Ecoweb, iWay Africa (MWEB), TelOne, NetOne, Econet Wireless, Telecel, Telecontract, Dandemutande (uMax), Afritell, Liquid Telecom, DataOne, Powertel Communications, Telco Internet, Broadlands Networks, Aquiva, Zimbabwe Online (ZOL), Aptics.

Henry Lancaster
May 2019

Key statistics
Country overview
COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Economic considerations and responses
Mobile devices
Subscribers
Infrastructure

Telecommunications market

Historical overview
Market analysis
Regional Africa Market Comparison

TMI vs GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband
Fixed and mobile broadband

Regulatory environment

Sector Reform Policy 1996
Posts and Telecommunications Act 2000
Telecom sector liberalisation

SNO licence
Privatisation

Regulatory authority
Licence fees
ICT Strategy 2010
ICT Strategy 2015
National Policy for ICT Act 2016
International gateways, interconnection
Value-added tax (VAT)
Universal Service Fund (USF)
Subscriber registration
Infrastructure sharing
Converged Licensing Framework (CLF)

Fixed network operators

TelOne

Fixed-line infrastructure
Wireless Local Loop (WLL)
National fibre backbone

TeleAccess Zimbabwe
Afritell

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
Smart grid infrastructure
International infrastructure

TelOne
Liquid Telecom (Econet)
Other carriers
Data centres
Internet Exchange Point (IXP)

Broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview

Market analysis
Broadband statistics
Zimbabwe Internet Exchange (ZINX)
National Broadband Project

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Networks

ISP market

Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP)
Other fixed broadband services

WiMAX
Wi-Fi
Satellite broadband

Digital economy

E-commerce
E-learning
E-health

Mobile communications

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

4G (LTE)
3G
Satellite mobile

Mobile data
Mobile broadband
Regulatory issues

SIM card registration
Fourth mobile licence
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Network sharing
Spectrum auction
Spectrum Allocation Plan

Major mobile operators

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe (EWZ)
NetOne
Telecel Zimbabwe
Mobile Virtual Network operators (MVNOs)

Mobile content and applications

Money transfer, m-banking
M-commerce

Glossary of abbreviations

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Zimbabwe – 2018
Table 2 – TelOne financial data – 2012 – 2017
Table 3 – TelOne revenue by type – 2014 – 2017
Table 4 – National backbone fibre length – 2013 – 2017
Table 5 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity in Zimbabwe – 1999 – 2009
Table 6 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity in Zimbabwe – 2010 – 2019
Table 7 – Fixed-line telephony revenue – 2013 – 2018
Table 8 – Fixed-line voice traffic – 2012 – 2018
Table 9 – International bandwidth – 2000 – 2018
Table 10 – International bandwidth by operator –2015 – 2018
Table 11 – Internet access revenue and investment – 2010 – 2018
Table 12 – Internet subscribers and penetration rate in Zimbabwe – 2009 – 2019
Table 13 – Fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration in Zimbabwe – 2001 – 2018
Table 14 – DSL broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2018
Table 15 – Ecoweb broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2017
Table 16 – Ecoweb broadband revenue – 2013 – 2019
Table 17 – Fibre internet subscribers – 2013 – 2018
Table 18 – WiMAX internet subscribers – 2013 – 2018
Table 19 – Satellite internet subscribers – 2013 – 2018
Table 20 – Mobile voice traffic – 2012 – 2018
Table 21 – Mobile market financial data – 2010 – 2018
Table 22 – Base stations in service by technology – 2013 – 2018
Table 23 – Market share of 2G base stations by operator – 2015 – 2018
Table 24 – Market share of 3G base stations by operator – 2015 – 2018
Table 25 – Market share of 4G base stations by operator – 2015 – 2018
Table 26 – Historic - Mobile subscriptions and penetration rate in Zimbabwe – 1999 – 2009
Table 27 – Mobile subscriptions and penetration rate in Zimbabwe – 2010 – 2019
Table 28 – Active mobile subscriptions – 2000 – 2019
Table 29 – Active mobile subscriptions by operator– 2014 – 2018
Table 30 – Operator market share of active mobile subscriptions – 2013 – 2018
Table 31 – LTE mobile internet subscribers – 2014 – 2017
Table 32 – Mobile data traffic sent – 2012 – 2018
Table 33 – Share of mobile data traffic by operator – 2016 – 2017
Table 34 – Active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2018
Table 35 – Econet Wireless financial data – 2010 – 2019
Table 36 – Econet Wireless data revenue – 2010 – 2019
Table 37 – Econet Wireless active mobile subscribers – 2010 – 2018
Table 38 – NetOne active mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2018
Table 39 – Telecel active mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2018
Table 40 – Econet Wireless EcoCash subscribers – 2011 – 2018
Table 41 – Econet Wireless EcoCash revenue – 2013 – 2017
Table 42 – Econet Wireless EcoCash transactions – 2013 – 2018
Table 43 – Econet Wireless EcoCash agents – 2013 – 2018
Table 44 –Market share of active m-money subscribers by operator – 2015 -2018
Table 45 – Mobile money market subscribers and agents – 2013 – 2018
Table 46 – Mobile money market data – 2016 – 2018

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Overall Africa view - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita – 2018
Chart 2 – East Africa - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita – 2018
Chart 3 – Africa – Middle-tier Telecoms Maturity Index (Market Leaders) – 2018
Chart 4 – East Africa –Telecoms Maturity Index by country – 2018
Chart 5 – East Africa mobile subscriber penetration versus mobile broadband penetration – 2018
Chart 6 – East Africa fixed and mobile penetration rates – 2018
Chart 7 – TelOne financial data – 2012 – 2017
Chart 8 – TelOne revenue by type – 2014 – 2017
Chart 9 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity in Zimbabwe – 2005 – 2019
Chart 10 – Internet subscribers and penetration rate in Zimbabwe – 2009 – 2019
Chart 11 – Fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration in Zimbabwe – 2001 – 2018
Chart 12 – Base stations in service by technology – 2013 – 2018
Chart 13 – Mobile subscriptions and penetration rate in Zimbabwe – 2005 – 2019
Chart 14 – Active mobile subscriptions by operator– 2014 – 2018
Chart 15 – Operator market share of active mobile subscriptions – 2013 – 2018
Chart 16 – Econet Wireless financial data – 2010 – 2019

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Map of Zimbabwe
Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 – East Africa - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country

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2019 Zimbabwe - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Zimbabwe government planning merger of TelOne and NetOne pre-sale

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Country overview

COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Broadband market

Digital economy

Mobile communications

Glossary of abbreviations

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views