For many small businesses and remote workers in Zimbabwe, a reliable internet connection is not a luxury; it is the lifeblood of their operations. For us at Zimpricecheck, our work often takes us into the field, gathering prices and conducting research. To stay connected and productive, we, like many others, came to rely on Econet’s SmartBiz mobile data. The promise was simple and compelling: for US$45 per month, you received a connection with speeds of up to 5 Megabits per second (Mbps), a generous 1 Terabyte (TB) fair usage cap, and the freedom of a non-geo-locked line. It was, for a time, the perfect solution for live updates and remote work.

Then, about two weeks ago, everything changed. Our dependable SmartBiz connection slowed to a crawl, becoming functionally unusable. What was once a steady 5 Mbps stream had dwindled to a trickle, often hovering below 1 Mbps and sometimes dropping to an excruciating 100 Kilobits per second (Kbps). It was not merely slow; it was unstable. Simple tasks like pushing data updates to our servers would fail, and connections would drop without warning. This prompted an investigation into what had gone so wrong.

The Diagnostic Journey

Our first thought was a network-wide technical fault. Econet has had its share of connectivity issues in the past. To test this theory, we purchased a standard hourly data bundle on the same device. The results were telling: we could achieve speeds of up to 70 Mbps. This simple test ruled out several possibilities:

1. It was not a general Econet problem: Standard data bundles were performing exceptionally well.
2. It was not a base station issue: Congestion on a local tower would affect all connections, not just a specific type.
3. The issue was isolated to SmartBiz: This confirmed our suspicion that the problem lay with the SmartBiz service itself.

We already knew from experience that SmartBiz connections are routed differently from regular mobile data. They use a different gateway and, in our initial tests, appeared to assign a dynamic IPV4 address, similar to fixed internet services, rather than using Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT) which is common for mobile bundles.

Still believing it might be a temporary glitch, we tried the usual troubleshooting steps. Restarting the device, a surprisingly effective fix for many internet woes, did nothing. We tried switching our device to 3G, a workaround that had previously resolved temporary slowdowns. This time, we hit a wall. The SmartBiz connection would now only work on 4G. After moving to different locations to rule out any localised interference and finding no official communication from Econet about ongoing issues, we were stumped. A breakthrough came from an anonymous source on social media.

The Policy Shift: From “Unlimited” to Underwhelming

Our source revealed that this was no technical error. It was a deliberate policy change enacted by Econet at the beginning of July. The US$45 SmartBiz package, which had been sold on the promise of 5 Mbps speeds up to a 1TB limit, now had a new, unadvertised clause.

Econet, and later their customer service, confirmed the change: users on the US$45 package would now receive 5 Mbps speeds for only the first 200 Gigabytes (GB) of usage. After crossing this threshold, their connection would be “deprioritised,” resulting in drastically slower speeds.

When we contacted Econet directly, providing our details to rule out technical faults, the response we received an hour later was precise, if not entirely forthcoming:

“As part of our Fair Usage Policy, after certain usage [now known to be 200GB], your connection maybe deprioritized. This results in slower speeds compared to normal.”

This change, while permissible under their terms and conditions which can be altered without notice, fundamentally reshapes the value of the SmartBiz package.

“Deprioritisation”: A Euphemism for Unusable?

The practice of managing network traffic, known as “traffic shaping” or “deprioritisation,” is not new. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) worldwide use it to ensure fair access for all users on their network. However, Econet’s implementation raises serious concerns about transparency and usability.

1. Lack of Transparency: Customers were not informed of this significant change. A service they had paid for, expecting a certain level of performance for the entire month, was altered mid-subscription without a word. This contrasts sharply with providers like the old ZOL (now Liquid Home), who used a transparent “smiley face” system to inform users of their consumption levels relative to others.
2. Brutal Throttling: The term “deprioritisation” hardly captures the reality of the user experience. Instead of a steady, albeit slower, connection of around 1.5 Mbps, our connection became erratic and unstable. We experienced dropped packets and failed connections, making even the simplest online tasks impossible. At times, speed tests showed speeds slower than the dial-up connections of the 1990s. This feels less like traffic management and more like a buggy, punitive system designed to render the service useless after the 200GB mark.
3. No Off-Peak Hours: Standard industry practice often involves relaxing traffic shaping during off-peak hours, typically late at night when network demand is low. Econet’s SmartBiz deprioritisation, however, is a 24/7 affair. We tested the connection in the dead of night and were met with the same sluggish, unstable performance. A customer representative confirmed that there are no off-peak reliefs for SmartBiz users.

The practical outcome is that the advertised 1TB Fair Usage Policy is now a marketing fiction. The effective limit for a usable connection on the most popular SmartBiz-5 package is now 200GB. After that, while you technically remain connected, the service is so degraded it is like being offline.

A Flawed Strategy in a Competitive Market

This move appears to be a strategic push by Econet to upsell customers to their more expensive SmartBiz tiers:

• SmartBiz 10 (10 Mbps): US$87
• SmartBiz 20 (20 Mbps): US$167
• SmartBiz 50 (50 Mbps): US$417

Econet confirmed that these pricier packages come with higher, still “secret”, usage allocations before deprioritisation kicks in. The problem with this strategy is that these packages are wildly uncompetitive. In the current Zimbabwean market, consumers have far better options.

For instance, why pay US$167 for a 20 Mbps mobile connection from Econet when you can get a 20 Mbps Liquid Home LTE connection for US$70? Other alternatives like Dolphin LTE (offering packages up to 20Mbps for US$55) and TelOne’s LTE services also present more attractive value propositions.

And then there is the elephant in the room: Starlink. With its residential packages offering speeds between 20-100 Mbps for just US$30 or US$50 per month, it has completely revolutionised the market, especially for rural and underserved areas where Econet once held a near-monopoly on viable internet. Paying US$417 for a 50 Mbps mobile connection from Econet makes little economic sense when Starlink offers a superior service for a fraction of the price.

This is not the first time we have seen Econet adjust this service. As we reported in a previous article, “Econet Reduces SmartBiz Data Bundle Speeds“, the company first moved to enforce the advertised speed caps on packages that were initially much faster. This latest change is a far more significant downgrade in the service’s value.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What exactly happened to my Econet SmartBiz connection?
A: Starting in July 2025, Econet implemented a new, unannounced Fair Usage Policy for the US$45 SmartBiz 5 package. Your speed is now drastically reduced (deprioritised) after you use 200GB of data, making the connection very slow and unstable for the rest of the billing cycle.

Q2: Is this a temporary technical fault?
A: No, it is not a fault. Econet has confirmed that this is a deliberate policy change. Our tests showed that regular Econet data bundles are working at high speeds, isolating the issue specifically to the SmartBiz service.

Q3: So, what is the real data limit on the US$45 SmartBiz package?
A: While the advertised Fair Usage Policy is 1TB, our experience shows the effective limit for a usable, high-speed (5 Mbps) connection is now 200GB. After this point, the service becomes practically unusable for many tasks.

Q4: Why would Econet make this change?
A: The most likely reason is to encourage customers to subscribe to their more expensive SmartBiz packages, which cost between US$87 and US$417 and come with higher data thresholds before speeds are cut.

Q5: What are my alternatives to Econet SmartBiz?
A: The Zimbabwean internet market is now more competitive. For similar or better performance at a lower cost, you can consider Liquid Home LTE, TelOne LTE, or Dolphin LTE. For those in both urban and rural areas, Starlink offers significantly higher speeds for a monthly subscription of US$30 or US$50.

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Conclusion: A Misstep in a New Era of Competition

Econet’s decision to silently cripple its most popular SmartBiz package is a significant miscalculation. In a market that is rapidly being reshaped by aggressive and affordable competitors like Starlink, transparency and value for money are paramount. By reducing the effective data cap on its entry-level “unlimited” package from a generous 1TB to a restrictive 200GB, Econet has severely damaged the product’s appeal.

The attempt to funnel users towards exorbitantly priced higher tiers is likely to fail, as savvy consumers will simply take their business elsewhere. The days of a captive audience are over. Providers like Liquid Home, TelOne, and the newly arrived Starlink are offering more speed and better value, leaving Econet’s current SmartBiz strategy looking outdated and out of touch. For Zimbabwean consumers, the message is clear: look around. There are better deals to be had.