The biggest telecom operator in Zimbabwe Econet have reportedly asked user to pay for calls made through Whatsapp even though voice calling features is free on the app for Andriod user. The only platform which has received voice calling features till now.
The Telecom operator which has more than 8 million subscribers making it the biggest mobile company in Zimbabwe. It is offering unlimited social media data for Whatsapp and Facebook.
But to the contrary his rivals like Telecel and Netone are also offering the same features.
The most popular messaging app has recently started rolling WhatsApp calls features for Android users in addition to video sharing and messaging almost every country where WhatsApp calls is present. The Messaging app was acquired by Social media giant Facebook one year back.
The recently launched service by the messaging app have created lot of buzz in tech world with subscribers hoping to score some points through cheaper calling rates using the new service.
But, Econet wireless has now said that the WhatsApp calls calling function is not covered by the unlimited social bundles for the app. This means that subscribers will not be able to makeWhatsApp calls unless they have data credit in their smart phones.
WhatsApp calls use data bundles and are not covered on the unlimited WhatsApp bundles,” the company said in a tweeted response to a subscriber on Tuesday.
An Econet subscriber had asked on the company’s service support Twitter account if the “WhatsApp bundles work(ed) for calls”.
“Many subscribers are using first generation smartphones and talk and text plans. This bundle has opened up an opportunity for Econet to launch service plans that incentivise subscribers to move to data-driven services that are affordable to users and profitable to the network,” said Bowman.
“We in fact see it as an opportunity to offer new possibilities for our customers. As we have said before, there was already a trend away from traditional income streams such as voice,” he was quoted saying on Techzim, a Zimbabwean online tech blog.
The telecom operator is currently battling a public relations storm after it invaded a Harare based online news agency recently, Source, in search of documents that the agency reported on earlier this month. – TopNews
12 Replies to “Econet “Vultures”Demand Payment for Whatsapp Calls”
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A possible solution is to have whatsapp text and whatsapp text/calls. 3 usd for text only and lets say 10 usd for text and calls. That way econet can buy extra servers and still make a profit. The customer and facebook will be happy. case closed.
A possible solution is to have whatsapp text and whatsapp text/calls. 3 usd for text only and lets say 10 usd for text and calls. That way econet can buy extra servers and still make a profit. The customer and facebook will be happy. case closed.
Econet are Monkeys hiding under the disguise of Christianity, they masquerade like champions of democracy yet they are ones who feed this vampire administration and keep on suppressing the the ordinary whose their citizen…
Zimbos should boycott Econet for day
Econet are Monkeys hiding under the disguise of Christianity, they masquerade like champions of democracy yet they are ones who feed this vampire administration and keep on suppressing the the ordinary whose their citizen…
Zimbos should boycott Econet for day
Madness. They should stop being greed. IDIOTIC countries like United Arab Emulate UAE have blocked whats app calls. Pure evil.
Madness. They should stop being greed. IDIOTIC countries like United Arab Emulate UAE have blocked whats app calls. Pure evil.
Have you ever heard a business structure called “infrastructure sharing.” by saying WhatsApp must build their own base stations is like saying each airline using an airport must have its own traffic controllers and runway.
Moreso u need Internet to use WhatsAp, so if a subscriber has paid for Internet from Econet, he/she must get WhatsApp free.
Econet charging for WhatsApp is double charging, you don’t necessarily need a phone line to use WhatsApp.
Have you ever heard a business structure called “infrastructure sharing.” by saying WhatsApp must build their own base stations is like saying each airline using an airport must have its own traffic controllers and runway.
Moreso u need Internet to use WhatsAp, so if a subscriber has paid for Internet from Econet, he/she must get WhatsApp free.
Econet charging for WhatsApp is double charging, you don’t necessarily need a phone line to use WhatsApp.
1 dont get this story, So you want Whatsup Calls to be free when u are using the service providers platform? i think for your Android phone to make whatsup calls u have to use your service provider equipment therefore it will be business sense to charge for that patronage otherwise Facebook is leaching on other providers equipment under the pretext that their services are free! let whatsup built their own basestations and sety up equipment to carry this function
Stand to be corrected!
1 dont get this story, So you want Whatsup Calls to be free when u are using the service providers platform? i think for your Android phone to make whatsup calls u have to use your service provider equipment therefore it will be business sense to charge for that patronage otherwise Facebook is leaching on other providers equipment under the pretext that their services are free! let whatsup built their own basestations and sety up equipment to carry this function
Stand to be corrected!
The problem is international calling cards and alternate call providers convert most voice calls to voip. I have alreadty realised that over the Easter break, there have been issues calling Econet from outside Zim, as I suspect they might be blocking non WhatsApp calls, that may appear as WhatsApp calls on the other end due to calling provider, end call routing
The problem is international calling cards and alternate call providers convert most voice calls to voip. I have alreadty realised that over the Easter break, there have been issues calling Econet from outside Zim, as I suspect they might be blocking non WhatsApp calls, that may appear as WhatsApp calls on the other end due to calling provider, end call routing