Synopsis

Considerable progress continues to be made in rolling out national fibre backbone networks in Zimbabwe, facilitated by the government’s efforts to encourage network infrastructure sharing. Limitations on international bandwidth are gradually being addressed, with bandwidth available to ISPs increasing sharply. This has greatly reduced the cost of broadband services and encouraged the growth in the number of broadband subscribers. Investment in fixed broadband infrastructure has resulted in a slow but steady growth in the number of DSL connections, which approached 96,000 in early 2019, as also in fibre subscriptions.

Continuous improvements in national and international fibre infrastructure as well as in 3G and 4LTEG mobile broadband services have raised Zimbabwe’s internet and broadband performance indicators in recent years. Mobile internet connections make up 98% of all internet connections.

Key developments:

• Econet Wireless launches Wi-Fi in commuter minibuses;
• Universal Service Fund to be used for digital migration program to progress;
• Telcos agree to the government's infrastructure sharing policy;
• TelOne providing satellite broadband with Avanti Communications;
• Report update includes the regulator's market data to December 2018, telcos' operating and financial data to August 2018, 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), Zimbabwe Online (ZOL), Zimbabwe Internet Service Provider Association (ZISPA), Telecontract, Dandemutande (uMax), Aptics.