Home > Features > Country Snapshot: Zimbabwe • Bookmark   • Newsletters   • Register Search Options

FEATURE

Country Snapshot: Zimbabwe

Country Snapshot: Zimbabwe

May 2, 2008
Text size: 
Get XBIZ News
XBIZ Research
Should governments have the power / ability to stop content piracy? (e.g. SOPA / PROTECT IP)
Yes
  45.22%
No
  45.22%
Undecided
  9.57%
Out of 230 votes. Results based on votes submitted by members of XBIZ.net social network.

" [it's] useful extra money from a 'virgin' market "

As part of my ongoing A-Z country snapshots highlighting the Internet and telecom characteristics of each and every country, Zimbabwe originally shared the same position as it does in our country drop-down list in terms of my keenness to write it.

But given the recent news airtime that this poor African country has recently been receiving after the presidential elections there earlier this year, I have decided to move it up the list accordingly.

For those of you who do not follow world events, Zimbabwe held a presidential election on March 21 of this year; the result of which at time of writing was still not confirmed – with many commentators believing that it was rigged by President Robert Mugabe who has held power there since 1980.

According to www.internetworldstats.com, about 1.2 million people in Zimbabwe, or just under 10 percent of its population, are currently online; with usage growth since 2000 an impressive 2,340 percent – which is almost on par with its inflation rate, which some economists predict could hit 1.5m percent!

The country – once a regional economic powerhouse – recently introduced a 200,000 dollar note so its citizens wouldn't need to carry wheelbarrows full of cash around with them.

Credit card penetration there is negligible and fraud associated with them rampant, making Zimbabwe an automatic candidate for your credit card processor's scrub list.

However, as with other developing countries, cell phone penetration levels here actually rival those in the developed ones. Furthermore, the country's backbone network is being upgraded, including fiber optic links which will also improve Internet connectivity.

So far, we have sold 1263 passwords to Zimbabwe and paid $745 in commissions to webmasters. Not huge numbers, admittedly, but they must be seen in the context of being useful extra money from a 'virgin' market who just so happens to also have English as its official language.

Remember, all the 1.2 million Zimbabweans who are currently online have access to your sites, and practically all of these will also have access to a phone or cell.

By not employing pay-per-call phone billing, you are depriving yourself of additional revenue from countries such as Zimbabwe, whose future can only get better.


LEGAL PERSPECTIVES

Need for Serious Value in Content

Most adult entertainment business owners know that distributing sexually explicit materials exposes them to the possibility of prosecution for violation of obscenity laws. But while many know that the... More »

Romney? Perry? 5 Things to Prepare for

It’s the fall of 2011, and the U.S. unemployment rate is at 9.1 percent and the economy appears too many to be heading back into recession. It is not surprising that President Obama’s approval... More »

Killing the Messenger: The Campaign Against Online Escort Advertising Sites

The recent guilty plea by Escorts.com has ignited interest in the legal issues surrounding the operation of an online escort site.  In this two-part blog post, the author will examine real-world examples... More »
XBIZ NEWSLETTERS
Stay informed of the latest industry developments. Get XBIZ newsletters delivered to your inbox. Subscribe today!
Enter email address:

* To manage existing subscriptions click here.






POPULAR PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Submit your press release to
multiple news outlets with 1 click.
Subscribe to RSS news feeds or
add free content to your website.
Access XBIZ news and articles
with your mobile device.
XBIZ Premiere™, the industry's premier retail focused business journal, features in-depth and comprehensive business news and information targeted for producers of adult videos, novelty product manufacturers, and retailers - subscribe today!

UPCOMING EVENTS

XBIZ London Gathering

Feb 23 - Feb 23
Truckles Wine Bar in Holborn

Adult Entertainment Virtual Convention

Feb 24 - Feb 26
World Wide Web

The European Summit

Mar 05 - Mar 08
Barcelona, Spain

International Lingerie Show

Mar 26 - Mar 28
Las Vegas, Nevada
Everyday thousands of business professionals browse XBIZ's industry directory for quality products and services. Not listed yet? Your company could be losing potential new business. Submit your company today!
Use XBIZ RSS feeds to stay informed of the latest industry developments or as a content syndication tool for your website!