By Business Correspondent
The year 2019 has seen mobile telecommunications companies jostle for customers and experience challenges relating to service delivery. The strength of any network provider lies in their ability to deliver on their promise timeously to their subscribers. NetOne has exhibited stealth and grown significantly throughout the year, as documented in the Postal Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) abridged reports for 2019.
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ)’s abridged first quarter report for 2019, indicated a decline in active mobile subscriptions across the board. Econet and Telecel gained market share by 3.4% and 0.4% respectively, whilst NetOne lost market share by 3.8%. With respect to the voice traffic market share, Econet declined by 1.3% whereas NetOne and Telecel gained 1% and 0.3% respectively. NetOne’s mobile financial arm, One Money grew by 29.2% from 241,566 to 312,223 reflecting the biggest growth in active mobile money subscriptions. The mobile money market share reflected One Money gaining 0.9%; Telecash’s market share remaining unchanged at 0.8% and Ecocash losing 0.9%.
In the abridged second quarter report for 2019, NetOne’s active mobile subscriptions grew by 6.1% from 2,593,444 to 2,752,458. During the period NetOne registered the biggest growth in active subscriptions, with Telecel being the only mobile operator to record a decline. Econet and Telecel lost market share by 0.3% and 0.6%, respectively, whereas NetOne gained market share by 0.9%. On the mobile revenue front, Econet lost revenue market share by 1.1%; NetOne gained market share by 1.1% whereas Telecel`s market share remained unchanged. With respect to active mobile money subscriptions, there was an overall growth across all operators. However, once again One Money grew the most with 7,3%. The mobile money market share reflected One Money gaining 0.1%, whereas Ecocash lost 0.1%; Telecash`s market share remained unchanged at 0.8%.
The third quarter report for 2019, saw One Money growing by 27% from 335,132 active mobile subscriptions to 428,529. The gain represented the overall growth in active mobile subscriptions and was solely attributed to One Money. As a network, NetOne’s active mobile subscriptions grew by 10.6% from 2,752,458 to 3,042,930 signifying a total gain of 1.4% of the market share in Zimbabwe.
Contacted for comment NetOne Chief Executive Officer Mr. Lazarus Muchenje said, “As NetOne, we are poised to reclaim our title as Zimbabwe’s Leading Mobile Telecommunications provider. The year 2019, was a challenging year for all businesses, however as NetOne we adopted the Back to Basics approach premised on four key strategic pillars, namely:
Quality Network,
Quality Distribution,
Quality Contact Centre and a,
Quality Balance Sheet.
The results documented through the Regulator, POTRAZ, are testament that subscribers are beginning to enjoy the value of our products and services, and the fruition of the Back to Basics approach. The year 2020 will be another great year for NetOne, as we showcase our mantra “Excellence is a Habit” through the continued provision of world class service to Zimbabwean’s everywhere, regardless of geographical divide.”
From the results documented by the Postal Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) throughout 2019, NetOne is on a rapid growth trajectory with their mobile financial service One Money, making steady in roads into the market. Going into the new year, NetOne has extend the zero-tariff promotion on One Money, until March 2020, as a means of cushioning the transacting public to pay school fees, make payments, send and receive money.