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Michael Makuza, Business Reporter
Zimbabwe recorded a 16,8 percent increase in internet and data usage in the second quarter of this year as more subscribers and businesses embrace online means of doing business.

The trend is tandem with the growing public and private investments in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector, which gained momentum during the Covid-19-induced lockdown period.

According to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) sector performance report, a total of 25 756 terabytes of data and internet were consumed in the second quarter ended June 2022, an increase from 22 053 terabytes consumed in the first quarter.

“This represents a 16,8 percent increase in Internet and data traffic,” said Potraz director-general, Dr Gift Machengete.
He said during the period used incoming international Internet bandwidth capacity also increased by 0,9 percent to record 221 181Mbps from 219 232Mbps recorded in the first quarter of 2022.

Used outgoing international internet bandwidth capacity also increased by 4,6 percent to record 91,978Mbps, from 87,924 recorded in the first quarter of 2022. “The growth in used outgoing international internet bandwidth signifies growth in the consumption of local content abroad,” said Dr Machengete.

Dr Gift Machengete

During the same period, Potraz said total revenue generated by the sector increased by 34,9 percent to record $1,5 billion from $1,1 billion recorded in the first quarter of 2022.

This also saw operating costs increasing by a greater margin of 43 percent to record $1,28 billion from $895,3 million recorded in the first quarter of 2022.

Meanwhile, Dr Machengete said the postal and courier sector continues to be negatively affected by the inflationary operating environment, unavailability of credit and shortage of foreign currency, amongst other challenges. “Prolonged load-shedding remains a challenge to operational efficiency, impacting overall quality of service and raising the cost-of-service provision,” he said. The industry is heavily investing in alternative power sources.”

The second quarter saw a six percent decline in postal and courier volumes to record 523 342 items from 556 618 items recorded in the first quarter, which was attributed to e-substitution driven by technological advancement.

The total number of active fixed telephone lines in the second quarter slightly increased by 1,5 percent to reach 246 722 from 243 123 recorded in the first quarter of 2022.

On the other hand, the total number of active mobile subscriptions declined by two percent to reach 14 006 034 in the second quarter, from 14 289 085 recorded in the first quarter of 2022.