Econet declared that all of its clients had been added to the 5G whitelist. Even if you had a gadget that was 5G capable in the past, you could not access 5G on Econet. Econet claims such is no longer the case, though. You should be able to connect to 5G at any of their locations if you have a smartphone that is 5 G-ready. To activate your SIM card, you must still get in touch with Econet.
Right now, not all devices will be able to connect.
I previously wrote about how 5G in Zimbabwe is currently in the Proof of Concept testing phase, meaning that both coverage and device support is extremely limited. This is how it seems in terms of device support.
The iOS 16 release brings the 5G feature to Apple devices with 5G capability after Econet and Apple had completed testing. All iPhones and iPads that support 5G should now be able to connect to Econet’s 5G.
Samsung devices are still undergoing testing as of the time this article was written, so they might not be able to connect to the 5G network. The wait won’t be too lengthy, Econet notified, as they are in the last stages of testing.
It’s interesting to note that certain device manufacturers are gaining access to 5G through software patches or updates. So, for some of you, getting the 5G to function likely requires updating the old software on your phone. Hence, here is a list of things to do before using 5G.
- Make sure your equipment is 5G ready.
- Ensure that your software is current.
- Restart your gadget
- Purchasing mobile data
- Make sure 5G is available where you are.
Currently, Zimbabwe is home to 22 operational 5G base stations from Econet, located at the following locations:
- Avondale
- Newlands
- Greendale
- Sam Levy’s
- Econet Park
- RGM Airport
- Holiday Inn (Harare)
- Club chambers
- Belgravia
- ZESA HQ
- Makoni shops (Chitungwiza)
- Zengeza Main
- NSSA House Bulawayo
- Anchor house Bulawayo
- Econet house Bulawayo
- NRZ Bulawayo
- Rainbow Hotel
- Mimosa House
- NRZ Victoria Falls
- Spar (OK) Victoria Falls
- CABS Gweru
- Rothbat Building
