Unveiling Econet SmartBiz: Exploring Potential Pitfalls That May Dull Its Initial Luster
Econet's SmartBiz data package, launched in June 2024, was initially praised for its affordability and data generosity. Designed primarily for small businesses, home offices, and remote workers, the package promised "unlimited" data at 5 Mbps speeds for $45 per month. However, a series of events has led to widespread frustration among its approximately 100,000 users.
The package, based on historical data from capped bundles like Private WiFi, assumed that no one would ever reach 1TB and that even if a few did, it wouldn't significantly affect network performance. However, heavy usage by a minority of customers proved unsustainable for Econet, leading to a drastic reduction in data allowance. In July 2025, the Fair Usage Policy (FUP) data cap was unannounced reduced from 1TB to 200GB.
This change, made without prior notification to subscribers, caused widespread frustration. After reaching the 200GB threshold, user speeds are severely throttled to almost unusable levels, with no off-peak relief, effectively limiting the service far below its initial offer.
The lack of communication and sharp deterioration in service quality led to outrage, including a publicly circulated petition demanding restoration of the original FUP terms and more transparency from Econet. As of late July 2025, Econet had not issued an official public explanation or committed to reversing the changes.
In response to the surge in demand and performance issues, Econet is re-designing SmartBiz. The company is planning to introduce different categories of SmartBiz, with heavy users paying a higher fee. It is also considering geo-locking the SmartBiz service due to traffic management concerns. However, geo-locking is not a popular feature among internet providers and could take away the unique selling points of SmartBiz.
The situation remains unresolved, with potential future changes dependent on customer pressure, regulatory scrutiny, or shifts in Econet’s business strategy. Given the strong negative response, restoration or revision of the SmartBiz fair usage policy is a primary demand from the affected users.
Interestingly, the SmartBiz website still states a 1TB FUP cap, despite Econet reducing it to 200GB. For about a year, the 1TB soft limit was not enforced on SmartBiz. The surge in demand for SmartBiz exposed a flaw in the product design, as some customers were pulling so much data that it became unsustainable.
The threat from Starlink, a competitor in the satellite internet market, was initially perceived to be larger, but it seems to have settled for now. Customers who noticed their internet had slowed to a crawl found out about the changed terms only after calling customer service to complain. An 80% reduction in the data cap could make the SmartBiz unlimited package less attractive, so it might be better to label it as a 200GB bundle.
A conversation is likely going on between Econet and POTRAZ, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe, regarding the SmartBiz data cap reduction. However, no statement has been made by POTRAZ regarding the matter.
In conclusion, Econet's SmartBiz data package, initially hailed as a game-changer, has faced significant issues and customer dissatisfaction due to an unannounced reduction in its FUP data cap from 1TB to 200GB. The company's lack of transparency and sharp deterioration in service quality have led to a wave of frustration and backlash, with customers demanding restoration of the original FUP terms and more transparency from Econet. The situation remains unresolved, with potential future changes dependent on various factors.
- Econet's lack of transparency in reducing the Fair Usage Policy (FUP) data cap from 1TB to 200GB for the SmartBiz package has led to a significant business challenge, as customers demand restoration of the original terms and more open communication.
- In the face of customer dissatisfaction, technology plays a crucial role in Econet's ongoing re-design of SmartBiz, particularly in its plan to introduce different categories for heavy users and consider geo-locking the service, which has its own implications for the product's unique selling points.
