Expensive and unpaid phone bills are worrying Zimbabwe’s government.

Zimbabwe’s deputy minister for information and communications technology (ICT), Dr Win Mlambo, is urging ministers to adopt internet communications in place of voice calls.

Mlambo’s call comes after the chief executive of state-owned TelOne, Chipo Mutasa, last month said that the fixed line telecoms company is owed up to $40 million by government in unpaid bills.

And Mlambo, who appeared before Zimbabwe's parliament on at the end of last week, said the unpaid bills are crippling the state run telecoms company.

In turn, Mlambo urged government officials to turn to services such as email and Skype.

"There are alternative communication means... and some can even provide videos of the other person at the the other end," Mlambo said.

Debt is ballooning for TelOne which is owed $190 million in total.

The company; though, has struggled to collect this debt as Mutasa said the company on average is only raking in $7-8 million each month versus the required $15 million.