Econet to switch off 3G by 2027

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe plans to switch off its 3G network by the end of December 2027 as it accelerates the expansion of its 4G and 5G infrastructure.

Econet chief executive officer Douglas Mboweni said most of the company's customers had already migrated to newer mobile technologies, leaving only a small proportion still reliant on 3G.

"Our plan is to shut down 3G first, by the end of December 2027," Mboweni said. "Only a small proportion of our customers remain on 3G, as most are now using 4G and 5G. We are encouraging those still on the older technology to migrate to the higher-speed technologies."

The company plans to retain 2G for longer because the technology remains widely used in rural areas, particularly by customers with basic feature phones.

Mboweni said rural customers would be given more time to replace their devices, while Econet works to improve coverage and make newer handsets more accessible.

"We must give rural customers more time to replace their phones while supporting them with affordable handsets and flexible payment terms," he said.

"We will first upgrade network coverage and then help customers in rural communities migrate to 4G as the minimum standard. That work is already underway."

Econet said retiring 2G and 3G would free up spectrum that could be redeployed to 4G and 5G services, increasing network capacity and improving data speeds.

The company has ordered much of the equipment required for the modernisation programme and is expanding its 4G and 5G infrastructure. It is also developing an independent power system to strengthen network resilience amid persistent electricity supply challenges.

Mboweni said the broader network modernisation programme would require annual investment running into hundreds of millions of dollars.

As part of the transition, Econet is urging independent handset suppliers to stop selling devices restricted to 2G and 3G and instead prioritise phones compatible with 4G and 5G.

The company is also targeting so-called grey handsets, which are marketed as smartphones but may not meet their advertised technical specifications and can result in connectivity problems.

Econet has developed a system capable of detecting such devices when they connect to its network. Customers will be notified when affected handsets are identified, while relevant authorities will also be informed.

Zimbabwe's planned 3G shutdown is part of a wider global transition towards newer mobile technologies, with operators increasingly reallocating spectrum from older networks to expand faster and more efficient 4G and 5G services.

In Africa, Rwanda has set June 30, 2027, as the deadline for its nationwide 3G switch-off, while South Africa has set December 31, 2027, for the transition.

Several European countries have already completed their 3G shutdowns. Germany and the Czech Republic switched off their 3G networks in 2021, while the United Kingdom phased out the technology by early 2025 and is preparing to retire 2G between 2029 and 2033.

The transition is expected to enable mobile operators to use network resources more efficiently while encouraging consumers to move towards newer devices and higher-speed connectivity.