Over recent years we have seen Madam Boss push her brand beyond comedy into acting and the corporate space. She started off by posting skits on social media and people loved them. Soon she had thousands of followers and corporates wanted to do business with her. She soon started partnering with many brands like Netone, Skylake Borehole Drilling, Nyaradzo, Pimkett Travel and Tours, Senditoo, Nash Paints and many others.

Madam Boss recorded a Facebook live video with a Euro-Scholars Poland representative and said that the purpose of her journey was to show people that her partnership with Euro Scholars Poland is legit. She spoke about the doubts people had when she once posted about Euro-Scholars Poland on her social media pages.

Madam Boss later posted pictures of the campus (below) after her meetings with Euro-Scholars Poland representatives with the caption:

“Thank you for partnering with MadamBoss,here is to the beginning of a great achievements next stop is UK ,Canada, America am so grateful yoooh mwana waRoisi womiririra ma University

Euro-Scholars Poland thank you

VPU/Vincent Pol University in Lublin, Poland ”

This development comes after Madam Boss met with the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting, Monica Mutsvangwa a few weeks back. A lot of local influencers have been working with the government on various projects like the Women for ED initiative meant to empower young women. Other popular names associated with this initiative are Mai TT and Zodwa Mkandla. Could Madam Boss’ trip be a result of rubbing shoulders with the government or is it part of her strategy to spread her wings of influence beyond Zimbabwe?

The post Madam Boss Partners With Universities In Poland: Is This Move Self Motivated Or Government Assisted? appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

If you have lived long enough in Zimbabwe you might remember that TelOne launched their Blaze LTE service in Harare, with a limited number of lines available. However, it seems like the service was oversubscribed and within days the lines ran out.

You would think that with such demand The telecommunications company would make more LTE lines available, but it has been years and there have been no developments on that front.

Well to cut a long story short, the Blaze LTE sim cards are now finally available but don’t celebrate just yet. The catch is at the moment the service is only available in Chitungwiza.

We reached out to the TelOne team on their Facebook account on the availability of the service in Harare and below is their response.

“The service will likely be rolled out to the rest of the country In due course, with the expansion service currently underway”

TelOne remains one of the most affordable internet providers in the country, especially in light of the recent price shocker from NetOne.

They also face competition from other providers like ZOL Zimbabwe which is now called Liquid Home.

Seems strides are being made in the right direction…slowly. Do you think this is good news?

The post Telone Is Finally Selling Blaze LTE Sim Cards; Here’s How You Can Get One. appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

People could not believe their eyes when they woke up to absurd price hikes on SMS, data and voice bundles.

This afternoon Netone reverted back to the old prices they announced on the 2nd of February 2022. They also posted a notice on their social media pages thanking people for their undying support and overwhelming feedback.

“We are in the process of looking into all the concerns you have raised and we will keep you posted on further developments,” Netone said

It is unclear how long the prices will remain this way. It is a possibility that they will adjust them to the black market USD rate or slightly higher. It’s not certain what is next because the move they pulled this morning certainly proved that Netone can be very temperamental and unpredictable.

The post Netone Buckles Under Pressure Reverts To Old Prices appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

This move comes as a shock to many Netone subscribers because Netone increased the tariffs on the 2nd of February, almost three weeks ago.

The exchange rate for the USD and local currency keeps increasing at an astonishing rate on the black market. The rate currently sits at US$1 for ZWL$240.

It seems as though every time the rate increases, service providers amend their prices to match the black market rate even though there is an official bank rate. Below are some of the new prices compared to the old prices.

The price hikes by Netone are out of this world. Their hourly bundle was $250 ZWL for 1GB valid for 1 hour. Now it is $1650 ZWL!

Many Netone users have shared their opinions of the price increase on social media. Most people probably expected a slight increase to align the new prices with the black market USD rate as that is what most service providers do. No one expected the price increase to be two or three times more than the previous prices.

This will definitely have an effect on a lot of people and Netone’s competitors. With other service providers like Telone also significantly raising their tariffs, we are bound to see a lot of hopping around as people shift from one service provider to the other.

The post Netone Increases Data, Voice and SMS Bundle Tariffs…AGAIN! appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

While that isn’t too much of a surprise, a question that keeps coming up over and over again when these hikes take place is, “why is POTRAZ allowing such ridiculousness to happen?”

Before we go into that, below are the results of NetOne’s recent price review.

This is what it will cost you to surf the internet for a month on the NetOne network (without including social media bundles):

POTRAZ

For those who don’t know, POTRAZ is an acronym for Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe. This is the board that regulates data prices in Zimbabwe. They are responsible for making sure that the data tariffs set by these mobile network operators are reasonable and justified.

So the question still stands…where is POTRAZ amidst all these data tariffs hikes?

Zimbabwe has reported the highest data tariff prices in our region despite the existence of boards such as POTRAZ. As a result, some Zimbabweans on various social platforms have finally reached a conclusion on this matter and it might just make sense. They have suggested that these unbearable price hikes could possibly be a way of reducing people’s access to the internet because a lot of political awareness and change start as just conversations on the internet.

Remember that November when a revolution started and was organised from the internet? A whole regime was changed and that is the power of the internet.

So it would make sense a lot of sense if this was a way to stop that from happening. With regards to this situation, a social media user (@doctorphill1) commented:

“social media has been and is our weapon as Citizens to spread information pertaining voting for competent leadership.”

These were the same sentiments shared by citizens when the 2022 national budget revealed controversial tax amounts on mobile phone purchases.

Do you agree with this view?

The post Ridiculous Data Bundles Price Hikes. A Political Strategy? appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

Brief History

NetOne was the first mobile network operator to exist in the Zimbabwe market. They launched in 1996 with just 2000 lines during the World Solar Summit. The company has been in operation since then.

The company, which recently announced their new data tariffs review, is aiming to become the first providers of the 5G network and has already begun working towards that goal.

NetOne Anniversary Gift To Users

NetOne has just announced that users can buy their 5GB data for ridiculously cheap for just $ZWL500. This offer will last for today only.

The mobile network operator shared the following:

Celebrate NetOne’s 25th Anniversary with 5GB Anniversary Bundle. Purchase the 5GB data bundle (valid for 25hrs) for $ZWL 500 & earn entry into the weekly draw. Entry into all weekly draws earns entry into the monthly draw. Stand a chance to win phones, MiFis devices and loads of airtime

Are We Paying More Than We Think For The Cheap Anniversary Bundle?

This seems to be such a generous move by NetOne, however, one would wonder whether the price of this anniversary bundle is not already included in the data as their data prices ironically change the day after this cheap offer. Food for thought.

Anyways, hurry before the anniversary bundle offer expires.

The post NetOne Offers Users Ridiculously Cheap 5GB Data. Today Only! appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

As of September 2021, the mobile network service provider Econet announced a review on their data prices. Telone followed suit soon after. Of course, being in Zimbabwe, review seems to always mean prices will soar upwards. NetOne shared the following on their social media account:

It seems NetOne has chosen to surprise users with the new prices on the day that come into effect.

Is NetOne Just Being a Copycat Once Again?

Although there hasn’t been any statements issued as to the reasoning behind the recent data tariffs hike, this situation calls to mind something NetOne previously said. Following the March 2021 price hikes, NetOne defended their prices in a way that convinced users that they were doing it because everyone else was. It seems that this time they might have done it again following in the footsteps of Econet and Telone.

In addition to their previous justification of the matter, NetOne said that if they hadn’t followed suit it would compromise their service delivery and customers lost it. “What service delivery?” most NetOne users seemed to ask.

Perhaps The Current Service Justifies The Tariffs Hike? 

Customers of the Netone service are still singing the same tune right now about the Netone service. Some of the sentiments are as follows:

When it comes to service delivery, perhaps Netone is just copying the other mobile network operators as common sentiments seem to suggest.

The post Copycat NetOne Joins The Data Tariffs Review Party. October 2021 Data Tariffs appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

The ICT Minister has shared his exciting remarks on the 5G network being launched by NetOne, hopefully soon. He went on to share the moves being made to ensure that Zimbabwe will have its first 5G network.

Below was his speech:

Your Excellency, as your Ministry, we are fully facilitating the development of a digital economy. we will ensure that there is ubiquitous connectivity throughout the country through the provision of infrastructure. The launch of the MBB Phase 3 we have just witnessed today is the testimony of your visionary leadership in connecting the unconnected.

The NDS 1 seeks to provide ICTs and digital access even at the village level. This vision embeds Information and Communication Technology (ICT) across all national development strategies as a key enabler, targeting to increase investment in ICT development to facilitate a digital economy and universal access by 2030. Matt Mullenweg (Social Media Entrepreneur) “Technology is best when it brings people together.”

This launch of the MBB Phase 3 project will result in Network Expansion Growth and broad subscriber growth across the ICT sector, which will see new base stations constructed and installed across the country bridging the rural/urban divide.

We are grateful your Excellency, for your strategic guidance by initiating and developing ICT infrastructure and putting measures to ensure that we develop our ICT infrastructure to meet current technological trends including 5G Networks and this is part of the MBB Phase 3. Bill Gates (Microsoft) “The advance of technology is based on making it fit in so that you don’t really even notice it, so it is part of the everyday life.”

This project will steer the march towards the digital future that will transform the country into a regional technical hub and raise the country’s competitiveness while aligning the country with NDS1 ICT goals as you have championed. The vehicle’s you have commissioned will give logistical support to NetOne

Zimbabwe’s policy thrust, aimed at digitalization can only be realized through implementation of robust innovative and ICT driven industrialization and the MBB Phase 3 underlines your leadership’s commitment to a digital economy.

Your Excellency, a country that does not innovate becomes irrelevant in today’s fastchanging world of big data, the internet of things, artificial intelligence, and machine learning among other emerging technologies. These rapid changes in technology equally affect policymakers. The Second Republic, through your ICT Ministry, is committed to creating an enabling environment for innovation to flourish in the country by providing a forward-looking and adaptable policy environment

 Zimbabwe’s future is digital. The Ministry of ICTs promises to revolutionize government services and digitalise all communities. Infrastructure provision, innovation and sector growth combined with worldclass engineering talent will be vital for the Smart Zimbabwe Master Plan.

Through this project ICTs will stimulate growth and development of Zimbabwe and in particular the e-government and e-commerce platforms. We are euphoric that this equipment will see the provision of reliable and affordable ICT solutions for Zimbabweans.

To those that weren’t born after 2015, various headlines announcing this news seem like a copy and paste of the 2015 announcement of this venture. The Herald, in a 2015 article revealed that Netone was to launch the 5G network service.

As stated by the article, 75 base stations had been launched in 2014 and 2015. Right now 300 base stations are said to be “coming soon.”

What’s the difference between the 2021 announcement and the 2015 one?

Well, now it is said that we are in Phase 3 of the National Mobile Broadband Phase 3.

The Herald in 2015 revealed that this venture is being made through NetOne’s “longstanding relationship with Huawei.” A “218 million loan facility extended by ChinaEximBank” was provided at that time for the move towards 5G Networks.

However, it still seems unclear when the 5G Network is expected to be launched, just as unclear as it was in 2015. From both articles it is clear that they are coming “soon.”

One would wonder whether the 5G Network will still be “coming soon” during the next election campaign period.

The post NetOne launch of 5G Network Coming Soon…Since 2015! appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

This new Nachulwe Base station in Binga will  serve nearby schools, hospitals and the community at large. The state owned mobile operating network, NetOne  facilitated this new base station in Binga. While this seems like a good move, who will be able to afford the data given the recent obscene NetOne tariff hikes?

Workers in government parastatals such as the ones the Nachulwe Base Station is to serve have been asking for a rise in salaries as they are struggling for finance the basic needs with their current salaries. How then will they be able to afford the high data tariffs?

The commissioning of this base station is inline with the government’s goal of availing robust telecommunications infrastructure across the country in a bid to work toward socio-economic development. Speaking in this regard at the event, VP Chiwenga had the following to say;

“Our country is at an opportune time to grow and develop further, especially with the help of telecommunications. It is a known fact that if a nation has robust telecommunications infrastructure the chances of an improved gross domestic product are higher than a less developed country. NetOne and other operators are critical in the provision of network connectivity. This will bring inclusivity of the previously marginalised communities”

Agreeing with the Vice President’s sentiments, the deputy Minister of Information, Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Dingumuzi Phuti highlighted that the improvement in access to ICT is a fast catalyst to growth and development within the country.

Apparently, we seem to forget that people also need to be able to afford the data first before any sort of inter-connectivity and resultant development takes place.

What are your thoughts?

Let us know in the comment section below.

The post Binga gets base station, but can they afford the data? appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

The new promotion started on the 29^th of March and it appears that the mobile operator is trying to entice more users to its mobile money platform which has always played second fiddle to EcoCash. With the prices for data now getting out of reach for many, they might just succeed, depending how long the promotion runs.

Below are the step by step instructions on how to get the 500Mb free data;

Now this is Zimbabwe, of course there’s a catch. To get the free 500MB data you need to move a minimum of ZWL$1000 to be eligible.

An end date for this promotion has not yet been revealed.

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