Zimbabwe’s number of mobile subscribers tripled in the last decade to nine million in December 2011 from 3 014 000 in December 2001.

This is according to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz), which said a total of 9 295 530 subscribers were recorded as of the end of last year.

"With the world becoming a global village in terms of communication technology, Zimbabwe has seen an increase in the use of technological gadgets, hence the increase in teledensity over the past decade," a Potraz representative said.

Zimbabwe’s mobile penetration rate is currently 54%.

But despite the increase in teledensity in the country, the rural communities are still facing constraints as only 42,5% of rural households have access to mobile phones, according to the authority.

Figures for fixed line access in rural Zimbabwe are even less encouraging as only 0,44% of the people in these areas have access to landlines, while only 0,07% of households have access to the internet.