Categories: Stories

Zimbabwe now has more phone subscribers than its population!

Zimbabwe now has more telephone subscribers than its population. There are now 13.52 million subscribers while the population is estimated at 13.06 million- a mobile penetration rate of 103.5 percent.

According to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) there are now 13 518 887 mobile phone subscribers with Econet almost accounting for two thirds of the subscribers.

It has 8 522 941 more than double the total subscribers for the other two networks. Telecel has 2 544 339 while NetOne has 2 451 607.

Fixed network, or landline, subscribers are declining. The number dropped from 314 622 to 307 202.

There is no study yet of the actual individual subscribers as the number of subscribers relates to SIM cards issued. More people have more than one SIM card and most subscribe to at least two networks.

(105 VIEWS)

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

Recent Posts

Who propped whom: Masiyiwa vs Nyambirai?

A friend who knows about my legal battle with Zimbabwe’s richest man, Strive Masiyiwa, way…

May 1, 2026

Britain says amendment of the Zimbabwean Constitution is a sovereign, legislative matter for Zimbabwe to decide

Britain says amendment of the Zimbabwe constitution is a sovereign, legislative matter for Zimbabwe to…

March 24, 2026

Who started the war?

It is now 47 years since I wrote the short story below for a South…

March 4, 2026

Zimbabwe 2026 monetary policy statement at a glance

Zimbabwe has released its 2026 monetary policy statement in which it seeks to stabilise its…

March 1, 2026

Was Chombo Mugabe’s number two?

Far from it, on paper that is. Ignatius Chombo was one of the longest serving…

February 6, 2026

Zimbabwe’s 2026 citizen’s budget

Zimbabwe on Thursday announced a ZiG290.9 billion budget with revenue expected to be ZiG287.6 billion,…

November 30, 2025