NetOne struggles with defaulting customers

Zimbabwe’s cellular mobile operator, NetOne is trying to force its defaulting customers to pay their debts.

Although Managing Director, Reward Kangai could not be reached for comment, officials at NetOne told our reporters that the mobile company was taking action against customers who hadn’t paid their debts since last year, when the Zimbabwe dollar was dumped in place of the preferred US dollar and South African rand.

NetOne confirmed that it has engaged the services of debt collectors to assist towards recovery of the outstanding debts from defaulting customers.

“The exercise is targeted at customers who have not paid their bills as from early last year and those who have not yet made any arrangements on the payment of the outstanding debts”, said an official.

Before the economic meltdown between 2004 and 2008, NetOne was Zimbabwe’s preferred mobile network, before being overtaken by Econet.

The telecom provider currently has only 500 000 subscribers, lagging behind Telecel with 600 000 and Econet Wireless with 3,6 million. The company recently announced its pans to triple its subscriber base by May this year, in order to catch up with its competitors.

by Marcus Mushonga