MARTIN MAWAYA
HARARE-Mobile operators’ revenue in the second quarter of 2023 grew by 170.5% to ZWL435.7 billion from ZWL161.1 billion recorded in the previous quarter, Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) has said.
POTRAZ also said the operating costs grew by 109.9% to record ZWL215.8 billion, from ZWL102.8 billion recorded in the first quarter.
Zimbabwe also saw an increase in internet and data usage by 11.6% to reach 42,058.3 Terabytes (TB) in the second quarter, from 37,690.4 Terabytes recorded in the corresponding quarter.
Used Incoming International Internet Bandwidth Capacity increased by 8.3% to record 318,742Mbps, from 294,201Mbps recorded in the first quarter of 2023, with a decline in PSTN Fixed Voice Traffic vis-à-vis growth in Mobile Voice Traffic PSTN fixed voice traffic by 6.5% to record 72.4 million minutes in the second quarter of 2023, from 77.4 million minutes recorded in the first quarter.
“On the other hand, mobile voice traffic increased by 0.2% to record 2.53 billion minutes in the second quarter of 2023, from 2.52 billion minutes recorded in the first quarter of 2023. The decline in fixed voice and marginal growth in mobile voice traffic may be attributed to voice substitution with Over The Top (OTT) communication such as WhatsApp and Facebook that are affordable as they ride on data”, added POTRAZ director general Gift Machengeti.
He said the total active fixed telephone lines increased by 3.2% to reach 301 465 in the second quarter, from 292,253 recorded in the first quarter of 2023.
“As a result, the fixed Teledensity increased by 0.06% to record 1.99, from 1.93% recorded in the previous quarter,” he said.
Machengeti said on Postal and Courier Volumes, the sector realised a 2% growth after recording 536,986 items in the second quarter of 2023, from 526,305 items in the corresponding quarter.
Adding that “the second quarter of 2023 saw both revenues and costs increasing in every segment. Notably, costs increased by greater margins as compared to revenues growth, with the exception of mobile market. IAP revenues grew by 136.9% to record ZWL191.2 billion, from ZWL80.7 billion recorded in the first quarter of 2023”.
He highlighted that the operating costs for IAPs grew by 428.8% to record ZWL224 billion, from ZWL42.4 billion recorded in the previously.
Above that the “total revenue generated by the postal and courier sector increased by 249% to record ZWL20 billion, from ZWL5.7 billion recorded in the first quarter of 2023; operating costs increased by 300.8% to record ZWL21.9 billion, from ZWL5.5 billion recorded in the first quarter of 2023,” added the regulating authority Director General.
The sector, however registered a decline in active mobile subscriptions from 14,051,251 to 13,955,937, recording a downward trend of 0.7% in mobile penetration rate to reach 91.9% from 92.6% recorded in the first four months of the year.
The report further shows that the total number of active Internet and data subscriptions dropped from 9,920,847 recorded in the first quarter to 9,902,500 indicating internet penetration rate slowed by 0.2% to reach 65.2% from 65.4%.
