Published by the government of Zimbabwe
29 December 2008
Harare — ECONET Wireless subscribers have bemoaned the decision by the cellphone network provider to charge services in foreign currency.
The company will, with effect from tomorrow, charge US$30 for a Buddie Access Simpack, sim card replacement, disabled line connection fee and retired line connection.
Subscribers will pay US$0,32 per minute for a local call to other network providers while an Econet to Econet call will cost US$0,29.
A short text messages will cost US$0,15.
The company will introduce recharge cards in the following denominations: US$5, US$10, US$20 and US$50.
The recharge cards, the company said, would be available at selected Econet and Homelink outlets.
Econet said the decision to charge in foreign currency was prompted by the need to settle foreign currency obligations and to acquire new equipment.
However, the move has not gone down well with subscribers who have no easy access to foreign currency.
"When Econet introduced the International Calling Card we did not complain because we continued to purchase recharge cards using local currency, but now where do we get the foreign currency for prepaid cards?
"The company should know that not all of us are paid in foreign currency. Even their workers are not paid in foreign currency," said Mr Tinashe Mhizha.
Chimanimani businessman Mr Tafa Godfrey Shumba, who said he relied heavily on the network for his business operations, said the development was likely to prompt all goods and service providers to charge in foreign currency.
"Communication is an integral aspect of every business and the fact that we are now going to pay for communication in foreign currency will force us to charge everything in foreign currency.
"Not all communicators have access to foreign currency and that means ordinary cellphone owners who do not have foreign currency are being indirectly forced out of the system," said Mr Shumba.
Mr King Chikakula questioned the denominations that the network provider was issuing.
"How can they come up with a recharge card of an amount such as US$50? That is a lot of money.
"It's high time that Zimbabweans knew the real value of the US dollar not just pegging prices. All workers are going to demand payment in foreign currency," he said.
ICC platform charges have been set at US$0,61 per minute for fixed group one calls, US$0,56 and US$0,50 for group two and three respectively with effect from tomorrow.
Group four mobile calls have been pegged at US$0,71 US$4,43 group five and US$7,50 for group six.
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