eBusiness Weekly
BH24 Reporter
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s internet penetration rate for 2017 increased by a marginal 0, 8 percent to 50, 8 percent from 50 percent in 2016, according to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ)’s 2017 annual report,
This is despite the country having a teledensity rate of over 100 percent.
Teledensity basically measures the number of active mobile phone SIM cards and land-lines, which usually has a significant correlation to the internet usage.
However, this is not the case in Zimbabwe.
Although the mobile penetration rate rose by 7, 9 percent from 94, 8 percent to 102, 7 percent, the growth in internet penetration was very marginal for 2017.
The report shows that the country’s active mobile subscriptions rose from 12 878 926 in 2016 to 14 092 104 in 2017, a 9, 4 percent increase.
During the same period, active internet subscriptions rose from 6 721 947 to 6 971 617, up 3, 7 percent, while the internet penetration rate rose from 50 percent in 2016 to 50, 8 percent, a 0, 8 percent growth.
But perhaps more importantly for the future of ICTs in the country, the figures show that mobile internet data grew 89, 8 percent from 8,094 terrabytes (TB) to 15 360 TB.
Internet penetration basically refers to the portion of the population that has access to the internet. To this extent, it can be said to define a portion of the digital divide.
Total telecommunications investment dropped from $257 million to $198 million a 22, 9 percent decline, which probably explains why internet penetration did not move in any significant way.
Broadly, the country’s telecommunications sector posted a 2 percent increase in revenue to $1, 14 billion in 2017, compared to the previous year.
Internet access providers accounted for $186 million ($157 million in 2016)) of the $1, 14 billion.
Fixed network operator TelOne was flat at $117 million, with the postal and courier services sector adding $36 million, down marginally from $36, 3 million.
Active internet subscriptions also marginally increased by 3, 7 percentage points to nearly 7 million, taking the country’s internet penetration rate to 50, 8 percent.
Meanwhile, the local telecommunications sector recorded a growth in active mobile subscriptions which were up 9, 4 percent to 14, 092 million.
This pushed the mobile penetration rate to 102, 7 percent.
