Econet To Spend Hundreds Of Millions Annually As It Switches Off 3G For 4G And 5G

By Ross Moyo

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe is preparing for one of the biggest network overhauls in its history, with plans to shut down 3G by December 2027 and pour hundreds of millions of dollars annually into 4G and 5G expansion.

CEO Dr Douglas Mboweni said the move is about freeing up spectrum and building a network that can support Zimbabwe’s growing digital economy.

“Our plan is to shut down 3G first, by the end of December 2027,” he said.
“Retiring the older technologies would improve service quality, free up valuable spectrum and align our network with global trends.”

Spectrum is the invisible resource that carries calls and data. Running 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G at the same time fragments it. By switching off 3G, Econet can reallocate that spectrum to 4G and 5G, which deliver faster speeds and can handle more users at once.

The company has already placed orders for much of the equipment needed and is rolling out new sites across the country. It is also developing an independent power system to reduce downtime caused by load-shedding.

Dr Mboweni said the investment is not small.
“The wider network modernisation programme is expected to require annual investment running into hundreds of millions of dollars.”

For businesses, the upgrade matters. Faster and more stable networks are needed for cloud services, fintech, e-commerce, mining operations, and AI tools. 3G simply cannot carry that load.

Econet said only a small proportion of customers remain on 3G. Most have already moved to 4G and 5G. The company is now encouraging the last users to migrate and is asking handset dealers to stop importing 2G and 3G-only devices.

The operator is also tackling “grey handsets” — devices that claim to be 4G smartphones but fail technical tests. Econet has built a detection system and will alert customers and authorities when such phones are found.

The timing aligns with the region. Rwanda has set June 30 2027 for its 3G switch-off and South Africa December 31 2027. Globally, Germany and Czech Republic completed theirs in 2021, and the UK in 2025.

For Zimbabwe Inc, the shutdown signals a push toward a faster, more competitive digital infrastructure. The cost is high, but Econet argues the alternative is a network that cannot support the next decade of growth.