The Zimbabwean government has introduced strict penalties for telecom operators failing to meet quality standards, aiming to address ongoing issues with poor service affecting consumers nationwide.
Under the new regulations, telecom providers face fines of up to US$5,000 for non-compliance with key performance indicators such as call quality, data service, SMS performance, and network uptime. Providers will be penalized $200 for each cell tower that falls short of these standards, with further fines for network outages and failure to submit performance data.
Zimbabwe’s telecom sector is highly competitive, with companies offering services ranging from voice and data to cloud solutions and cybersecurity. However, many operators, including Econet, NetOne, and Telecel, face challenges maintaining service quality, exacerbated by financial difficulties. NetOne, for instance, reported liabilities exceeding assets by ZWL$32 billion.
The government has set specific benchmarks: a minimum Data Service Access Success Rate (DSASR) of 95% and a Data Service Drop Rate (DSDR) below 2%. Additionally, 4G networks must provide downlink speeds of at least 5 Mbps and uplink speeds of 1 Mbps. Operators failing to meet these standards for three consecutive months will be fined.
These penalties come as new competitors like Starlink disrupt the market with high-speed satellite internet, forcing established providers to rethink pricing and service quality. In response, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Zimbabwe’s largest internet provider, cut unlimited internet packages by up to 45%. TelOne is also planning flexible pricing models to remain competitive.
While these measures aim to improve telecom services, they highlight the challenges operators face. Despite infrastructure improvements, Econet has received complaints about service reliability. The penalty framework is a critical step toward ensuring operators invest in infrastructure and improve service quality, benefiting consumers across Zimbabwe.
