Econet dangles carrot to unregistered subscribers

The move by Econet comes after analysts IHS Global Insight said new rules by the Postals and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) compelling mobile phone users to register personal details with their operators by 31 August 2010 could curtail growth within the mobile telecommunications sector.

Disconnection after deadline

POTRAZ has instructed the country's three networks to disconnect unregistered subscribers after deadline.

In a text message to all subscribers sent on Friday, 25 June, Econet, which has four million subscribers, said unregistered subscribers could visit its outlets, dealers or postal offices around the country to register their lines "and stand a chance to win one of three Isuzu trucks and other prizes".

There have been concerns hundreds of subscribers across the three networks could have their lines terminated due to non-compliance, much of which could be a result of subscribers living in outlying areas with little or no easy access to network shops or dealers and therefore failing to register within the stipulated period.

Possible slowdown in subscriber growth

IHS Global Insight said mandatory registration of SIM cards in at least 10 countries had resulted in a dramatic slowdown in subscriber growth and could result in the disconnection of millions of unregistered subscribers in Zimbabwe.

Econet, government-owned NetOne, whose subscriber numbers are at 500 000, and Orascom-owned Telecel, which has a million subscribers, have said they will be able to meet the deadline, saying they already had registration systems in place that allowed registration of SIM-card holders even before new regulations.

But a survey by Bizcommunity.com appeared to show that even in Harare there were large subscriber numbers with unregistered SIM cards.