POTRAZ Report Decoded: Zimbabwe’s Digital Trends You Need to Know

Ever wonder what's really going on in our digital space—the numbers, the trends? Well, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) regularly gives us a peek behind the curtain with their reports. Their latest one, for the fourth quarter of 2024, is out, and it’s got some pretty interesting stuff about how we’re all connecting and using technology in our day-to-day lives. So, let’s break down some of the big tech trends shaping our Zimbabwe, in simple terms, so we can all get a sense of what’s happening and what it means for us.  

First up, it seems like almost everyone in Zimbabwe has a mobile phone, and then some! The report shows that active mobile subscriptions grew by 3.71%, from 15,116,302 in the third quarter of 2024 to a whopping 15,677,094 in the fourth quarter. This pushed our mobile penetration rate up from 98.60% to 102.26%. Now, that doesn’t mean every single person, including babies, has a phone. It usually means many of us have more than one SIM card, maybe one for calls and another for data, or different networks for better deals. What this really tells us is that mobile phones are a massive part of life in Zim.  

And what are we doing with all these phones? Well, it looks like we’re seriously hungry for data! The amount of mobile internet data we’re using shot up by a massive 24.13% in just one quarter, growing from 78.38 Petabytes (that’s 78 billion Megabytes!) in the third quarter to 97.19 Petabytes (a staggering 97 billion Megabytes!) in the fourth quarter of 2024. Think about all those videos we’re watching on YouTube or Facebook, the WhatsApp messages and calls, the music streaming, and for many students, e-learning. Businesses are also using more data for their operations. This huge jump shows that Zimbabweans are embracing the internet more and more.

Speaking of internet, overall internet penetration in Zimbabwe has also climbed. The total number of active internet and data subscriptions grew by 1.78%, from 12,275,147 to reach 12,493,098 in the fourth quarter of 2024. This pushed the internet penetration rate up by 1.42 percentage points, from 80.07% to 81.49%. This is great news because more internet access means more opportunities for education, for ecommerce to grow, and for all of us to access information and services. Most of this internet access is happening through our mobile phones (12,170,615 mobile internet subscriptions out of the 12,493,098 total), which makes sense given how many of us have them. But there are also other ways people are getting online, like through fixed LTE (102,105 subscriptions), fibre (79,416 active subscriptions, a slight dip). 

Satellite internet is rising fast, thanks in part to Starlink, which entered the Zimbabwean market recently. VSAT subscriptions grew from 3,814 to 23,410, a 513% increase. This is a big deal for rural schools, clinics, farms, and remote communities that were previously left out of the digital economy. While Starlink is still expensive for many, it represents hope that one day, even places like Chikombedzi or Binga can enjoy stable internet.  

While we’re all about data, it turns out Zimbabweans are also talking on the phone a lot more – at least on their mobile phones. National mobile voice traffic went up by a staggering 41.64% in the last quarter of 2024, increasing from 2.81 billion minutes to 3.98 billion minutes. If we look at the total mobile voice traffic including international and roaming, it grew by 41.78% from 2.81 billion minutes in the third quarter to 3.98 billion minutes in the fourth quarter. This was apparently boosted by promotions and people connecting with loved ones during the festive season. It shows that even with WhatsApp calls and other internet-based calling apps, traditional mobile calls are still very important for many of us. 

On the flip side, though, the good old landline phone is seeing a continued decline in use. Total voice traffic on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) actually went down by 6.38% from 62.21 million minutes to 58.48 million minutes, which isn’t too surprising as mobile phones offer so much more convenience and are often cheaper for many types of calls.

However, international call traffic is shrinking. Why pay to call South Africa or the UK when you can send a voice note on WhatsApp for a few cents? The decline in traditional international voice traffic shows that Zimbabweans are embracing Over-The-Top (OTT) services like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Telegram for both audio and video calls. The only thing that matters now is data — as long as you’ve got bundles, you’re online.  

Looking ahead, the tech scene in Zimbabwe is also getting ready for some super-fast internet. The report mentions that mobile network operators are actively deploying 5G base stations. The number of 5G base stations increased by an impressive 48.15% in the quarter, going from 81 base stations at the end of the third quarter to 120 by the end of the fourth quarter of 2024. That’s a net addition of 39 new 5G sites. While it’s still early days for 5G in Zim, and it might take a while before it’s widely available for everyone, it’s an exciting development. 5G promises much faster download and upload speeds, which could be a game-changer for things like streaming high-quality video, online gaming, and even for businesses and industries that need very reliable and fast connections.  

But while some sectors are thriving, others are struggling. The postal and courier industry saw a 27% drop in total volumes — from 451,486 to 329,055. With more people choosing digital communication and businesses shifting to online platforms, traditional mail is being used less. Still, the courier side is adapting, with some growth in international parcel deliveries and rising investments in e-commerce logistics.

The POTRAZ report paints a picture of a nation that’s rapidly embracing digital technology. More phones, more data (97.19 Petabytes consumed!), more internet access (81.49% penetration!), these are all positive signs. But it also highlights things we need to think about, like the cost of data, the quality of service, and making sure that these technologies benefit everyone, not just a few. As tech keeps changing, it’s good to stay informed about these trends because they affect everything from how we learn and work to how we connect with each other. It’s our digital Zimbabwe, and it’s changing fast!