In a surprising and significant development for mobile money services in Zimbabwe, NetOne subscribers can now register for EcoCash, the country’s leading mobile money platform. This change brings new possibilities for NetOne users, who were previously excluded from directly accessing EcoCash services.
However, NetOne users can only access EcoCash through the EcoCash Data App. The traditional USSD codes (*151#) that work for Econet users are not yet functional for NetOne subscribers. This means that those using basic, non-smartphone devices, commonly known as “mbudzi,” cannot access the EcoCash service at this time. While this limitation is significant, it is expected that a solution could be in the works, or perhaps this issue will be addressed when Econet or NetOne officially announces the new functionality.
For EcoCash agents, the registration process for NetOne lines is identical to that of registering Econet subscribers. This makes the transition smooth for agents, who can follow the same procedures they are already familiar with.
As this development is still fresh, we will continue to track its progress and explore how it might affect the mobile money landscape in Zimbabwe, including the impact on both NetOne and Econet users.
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