The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) has taken issue with off-peak mobile data bundles offered by NetOne and Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, warning that the products may contravene consumer protection laws by charging full prices for data that many users struggle to access.
In letters dated 21 January 2026 and addressed separately to the two mobile network operators’ chief executives, CCZ said it had received numerous complaints from subscribers over the pricing, structure and marketing of off-peak data included in standard bundles.
The council said consumers are required to pay the full cost of the packages despite a substantial portion of the data being restricted to off-peak hours, typically late at night, when most users are asleep or unable to make practical use of the service.
CCZ noted that this model has led to large volumes of prepaid data expiring unused at the end of billing cycles, intensifying consumer frustration at a time when affordable internet access is vital for education, business and everyday communication.
From a consumer rights standpoint, the watchdog warned that the practice could undermine protections enshrined in Zimbabwe’s Consumer Protection Act [Chapter 14:44], particularly those related to fairness, transparency and value for money.
“Charging consumers for data that is known in advance to be largely unusable by the average subscriber raises serious concerns about fairness, transparency and consumer confidence in the telecommunications sector,” the council said.
CCZ said the situation potentially infringes on consumers’ rights to reasonably priced, good-quality services, as well as the right to clear and truthful information that enables informed choices.
The council called on NetOne and Econet to urgently review their data bundle structures and pricing models, improve transparency around time-based usage restrictions, and consider remedial measures such as revised bundle designs or data rollover options. It also urged the operators to engage with consumer groups and regulators.
In its correspondence with Econet, CCZ raised similar concerns, noting that under the current off-peak model, large volumes of paid-for data predictably expire unused at the end of each billing cycle.
CCZ said it remains open to working with service providers to protect consumer interests while supporting sustainable business operations, adding that it is awaiting responses from both operators to enable feedback to affected consumers and further engagement with the sector regulator.
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