Almost a quarter of all network usage on Econet Zimbabwe’s mobile network is attributed to instant messaging service WhatsApp.

This is according to Don Bowman, the chief technology officer for networking equipment company Sandvine.

Econet Wireless, which is Zimbabwe’s biggest mobile network with 8.8 million subscribers, has developed unlimited WhatsApp bundles.

These WhatsApp bundles in turn have been implemented using Sandvine’s ‘usage management solution’, and these bundles include plans that range from 30 cents daily to $3 per month.

And Sandvine has said the unlimited WhatsApp bundles introduced by Econet had “experienced tremendous adoption by Econet subscribers,” with WhatsApp now accounting for “more than 23% of network activity”.

"Many subscribers are using first generation smartphones and talk and text plans. This bundle has opened up an opportunity for Econet to launch service plans that incentivise subscribers to move to data-driven services that are affordable to users and profitable to the network," said Bowman.

The announcement that WhatsApp drives high data demands among Econet customers is contrary to state-owned NetOne’s view on over the top services in Zimbabwe.

Earlier this year, NetOne managing director Reward Kangai, who works for Zimbabwe’s number three mobile network, publicly said over the top services such as WhatsApp are a ‘threat’ to telecom companies.

“The key issue, the real challenge is technological developments. We are not just looking at local competitors but at competitors globally in the form of over the top services like WhatsApp,” said Kangai.

"They don’t have an infrastructure of their own but ride on your infrastructure,” Kangai added.