By 
By Ross Moyo
The home internet market in Zimbabwe has just been disrupted. We are now seeing an interesting war of market forces as both Mobile Network Operators Econet Wireless Zimbabwe and Netone jump on to the fixed wireless network market.
Econet launched off by offering the Huawei B320 4G router for US$48 with 15GB free on Smart Suite Home or Business, while NetOne responded with an equally same hardware, Huawei 4G CPE router for US$25 including 15GB free data.
The 5G Question
Many customers have asked if these affordable Huawei routers have 5G Network Capability , unfortunately The answer is no.
Both the Huawei B320 and the Huawei 4G CPE being sold by NetOne are only 4G LTE routers. Their maximum LTE speed is capped at 195Mbps, which is what you see on both posters. The WiFi speed on the NetOne unit is listed as 300Mbps, which is the local speed inside your house, not the internet speed coming from the tower.
To use 5G, you would need a specific 5G CPE router and a 5G SIM in a 5G covered area. These two promos are 4G value plays.
So where does 5G stand in Zimbabwe? According to POTRAZ, this is where Econet would have had a massive lead, if it was distributing in 5G routers
The latest POTRAZ sector reports show Econet closed Q4 2025 with 340 5G base stations, after adding 42 new sites in that quarter alone, against NetOne’s 26 and Telecel’s zero. By Q1 2026, the national total reached 379 5G sites after another 13 sites were deployed.
Price and Hardware Compared
On price, NetOne wins outright. US$25 including 15GB is half the price of Econet’s US$48. The hardware is also more flexible. The Econet B320 is a compact horizontal router that turns a mobile SIM into WiFi for up to 32 devices, with wider coverage and a Micro SIM slot.
The NetOne CPE is a larger tower unit with HPUE technology, which boosts signal in weak coverage areas, and it offers three switchable ways to connect: mobile network to WiFi, mobile network to wired network, and wired network to WiFi. That means you can use it on NetOne SIM today and keep using it as a WiFi router if you later get fibre.
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose NetOne’s US$25 CPE if you want the cheapest entry and the most flexible hardware. The HPUE feature makes it ideal for areas where signal is not perfect, and the three-in-one mode future-proofs it. It is currently the best value router in the country.
Choose Econet’s US$48 B320 if you are already in the Econet ecosystem, you live in an area where Econet’s 4G is strongest, and you use Smart Suite Home or Business bundles.
It is also worth noting that while NetOne is winning on LTE expansion, Econet is winning the future war. The commercial case for 5G is not just faster phones, it is fixed wireless access for businesses that need fibre-like speeds without cables.
Neither of these routers will give you 5G, but the networks behind them matter. If you need affordable connectivity right now, NetOne’s US$25 offer is unbeatable on price and hardware.
If you are thinking long term about 5G readiness and you live in Harare or Bulawayo where 18.9 percent 5G population coverage is already live, Econet has the infrastructure lead, even though you will need a separate 5G router to use it.
Both are available now, Econet at any Econet shop or online at onlineshop.econet.co.zw, and NetOne at your nearest NetOne shop.
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