Harare – The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz)’s 2018 second quarter (Q2) sector report shows Econet Wireless maintained its customer and revenue market share lead.

The sector performance report, issued every quarter by the industry regulator, revealed that although NetOne, Econet’s closest rivalry active subscriptions increased by 10.1 percent, Econet which gained 4.5 percent of active subscriptions remains the leader closing the period with 7 998 657 subscribers compared to 7 651 312 subscribers in the Q1.

Netone’s subscriber base which grew by 10.1 percent closed at 2 900 433 compared to 2 634 134 in Q1 whilst Telecel lost its subscriber base by 13.1 percent to close at 1 253 381 compared to 1 443 029 subscribers in the previous quarter.

“The total number of active mobile subscriptions increased by 3.6 percent to reach 12,152,471 from11 728 478 recorded in the previous quarter. As a result, the mobile penetration rate increased by 3.1 percent to reach 87.7 percent from 84.6 percent recorded in the first quarter of 2018.

“Telecel lost 2.1 percent market share whereas Econet and NetOne gained market share by 0.6 percent and 1.4 percent respectively. Prepaid lines constituted 98.1 percent of total mobile telephone subscriptions,” said Potraz.

The report by the industry regulator showed that 9.1 percent growth in total mobile voice traffic was recorded in the second quarter of 2018 to 1 205 543 569 from 1 104 688 772 the previous quarter.

“Econet is the dominant operator in terms of mobile voice service with over 70 percent market share. However, in the quarter under review, Econet lost 2.5 percent voice traffic market share whereas Telecel and NetOne gained 1.1 percent and 1.4 percent respectively.

In the period under review, mobile internet and data usage increased by 16.9 percent to record 6 104TB from 5 220TB recorded in the previous quarter.

Potraz said data utilisation from WhatsApp bundles constituted 34.4 percent of total mobile internet and data utilisation and the growing popularity of social media is expected to drive data usage in the coming years.

“The market share of mobile internet and data is comparable to the market share of mobile voice traffic with Econet dominating the market with over 70 percent market share and the rest being shared by the other 2 operators,” it said.

During the period under review, Potraz said the total number of active mobile money subscriptions increased by 12.6 percent to reach 5 634 511 from 5 005 625 recorded in the previous quarter and all the mobile operators experienced growth in the number of mobile money subscriptions.

The number of active mobile money subscriptions is expected to continue growing as mobile money has become an effective mode of transaction given the cash shortages in the economy.

NetOne experienced the biggest leap in active mobile money subscriptions by 93 percent to 152 415 compared to 78 968 in Q1 hence the 1.1 percent growth in their market share to reach 2.7 percent from 1.6 percent recorded in the previous quarter.

Econet’s mobile money subscribers grew by 11.5 percent to 5 402 393 compared to 4 847 014 in Q1 whilst Telecel’s mobile money subscribers grew by 0.1 percent to close at 79,703 compared to 79 643 in Q1.

Resultantly Econet dominated the mobile money market share closing at 95.9 percent whilst NetOne and Telecel closed at 2.7 percent and 1.4 percent respectively.

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