A week after Econet so brazenly asked their own suppliers to reduce prices by 20%, they themselves have done the opposite. In the latest price hike, their Private WiFi bundles have been hiked by as much as 225%! Call it desperation or greed but nobody, not even us saw that coming. Such a hike effectively means a hike in real USD terms.

Whereas in times pas the cheapest bundle, 25GB, has always hovered around the $10 USD mark the latest hike from $400 ZWL to $1 300 ZWL means the bundle now costs $31 USD at current black market rates. Now that is a massive hike of almost 200% even in real USD terms. To do this during the lockdown period is either greed or pure madness that will no doubt lead to a reduction in demand.

In the meantime the 50GB bundle which was selling for $800 (approx $20 USD) yesterday is now being sold at a massive $2 000 ZWL ( approx $42 USD). Again this effectively means the prices have been doubled even in USD terms. Again to do this during a period when most people are not going to work or receiving any bailouts from the government unlike in other countries is mind-boggling.

Before all these changes, you could buy three private WiFi bundles, 25GB, 50GB or 75GB. As of today, you can no longer purchase the 75GB bundle which has mysteriously disappeared. Probably because even Econet was embarrassed about it’s new proposed by they just decided to do away with it.

The new prices

Bundle	Price ZWL	USD Equivalent
25GB	$1 300	$31
50GB	$2 000	$42

The new private WiFi bundles

So long private WiFi bundles

At the current prices it is time to say so long to these WiFi bundles. There is simply no reason why anyone would spent so much money on them as there are still alternatives. For starters there are the ever impressive OneFi bundles whose prices are still almost the same as those of the old Econet bundles. In fact they are cheaper.

Bundle	Cost ZWL
25GB	$400
50GB	$800
80GB	$1000

One-Fi Bundle prices

If you are a sad masochist then there is always ZOL Wibroniks and its super sad slow speed that can only be associated with a snail instead of the cheetah they chose as their mascot.