Zimbabweans Benefit From New Ways To Buy Airtime Online During Lockdown

Business
With the lockdown extended even further, Zimbabweans are finding new solutions to adjust to the new realities of limited movement. The extended lockdown has meant that there are no vendors of airtime on the street corners throughout the country. Most Zimbabweans have therefore resorted to buying airtime online, or on the popular WhatsApp messaging app. […]

With the lockdown extended even further, Zimbabweans are finding new solutions to adjust to the new realities of limited movement.

The extended lockdown has meant that there are no vendors of airtime on the street corners throughout the country.

Most Zimbabweans have therefore resorted to buying airtime online, or on the popular WhatsApp messaging app. The new services have proved to be reliable during these unprecedented times.

Here are the steps to buying online from one of such solutions:
  1. Visit the website called buyairtime.co.zw
  2. Enter the details for the airtime Number to be recharged Amount, and EcoCash number that will make the payment
  3. Click on the Buy button
  4. A request for an EcoCash pin appears on the phone line entered. Enter it
  5. After entering the pin to make the payment, the airtime is recharged.

There are many Zimbabweans however who actually don’t always have access to the internet and are therefore not able to visit websites. One common app everyone is almost always connected to however is WhatsApp.

Zimbabweans can now buy airtime on WhatsApp in an automated way without leaving the app. The main reason this has become convenient for many is that they are able to buy NetOne and Telecel airtime using EcoCash.

Steps to buying airtime using EcoCash:
  1. You send the word “airtime” to the WhatsApp number: +263 714 815 229
  2. The number will respond immediately providing you the format to use to top up. The format is Amount#Number_to_be_recharged#EcoCash_number_to_pay

For example: 50#0711222333#0772111222

  1. Enter the details in that WhatsApp conversation
  2. Approve transaction on the EcoCash line by responding to prompt
  3. Once paid, the airtime will be topped up.

Both ways to buy have enabled Zimbabweans to escape the now common problem of having to pay an extra fee when buying airtime on the streets.

An extra fee of between 10 and 20% of the airtime being bought  was usually charged by airtime vendors resultantly making an already expensive product even more expensive.

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