This will only be possible if Zimbabwean media laws and policies are amended in tandem with the media freedoms enshrined in the country’s 2013 constitution. ❖ Mobile penetration/telecommunications The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), in its Postal and Telecoms Sector Performance report for the 3rd Quarter of 2018, reported that usage traffic for internet and data services was expected to continue to grow. This is evidenced by a 21% increase in mobile internet and data usage to 7,395 Terabytes (TB) from 6,104TB during the 2nd quarter of 2018. The increase was driven by the rise in mobile data usage with WhatsApp bundles constituting 32% of total mobile data usage. The envisaged growth will be spurred by innovation related to non-traditional business models such as The Internet of Things (TITs). According to POTRAZ, there was a 4% increase in the mobile penetration rate reaching 91.9% from 87.7% recorded in the 2nd quarter of 2018. Other highlights during the same period included: ● 7% growth in active internet subscriptions to reach 7,690,134 from 7,197,279 ● 3.5% increase in the internet penetration rate to reach 55.4% from 51.9%. It is, however, feared that despite these positive developments, operating costs pose a threat to viability as it puts pressure on prices. Meanwhile, the popularity of say Facebook or WhatsApp, gives the illusion that Internet access in Zimbabwe is affordable when in fact it is not; social media services are just one small component of Internet based tools. Internet affordability is different from Internet accessibility. Internet accessibility is determined by equipment such as base stations, and the availability of reliable electricity supply to power those base stations and deliver mobile data with adequate speeds for effective internet access. According to POTRAZ, 92 additional base stations were commissioned in the 3rd quarter of 2018 bringing the country’s total to 8,622 from 8,570 recorded in the previous quarter. ❖ Cyber Bills