Econet Wireless Zimbabwe's explanation of its Smart4U bundle has failed to end public debate over the product, as concerns continue to mount over how usage is calculated, how bundles are consumed and why customers cannot independently track their allocations.
The company last week published an explanation outlining how Smart4U bundles are allocated, how usage is measured and how customers can monitor their balances.
However, Econet users revealed that the biggest concern remains the inability to see exactly how much data, voice and SMS have been consumed before the bundle is exhausted.
Harare resident Munyaradzi Mutore said the explanation focused on how the product operates but overlooked the concerns that matter most to users.
"Econet only explained how the Smart4U bundle works. What has actually changed? As customers, our concern is that we can't see or track our bundle usage. The bundle just disappears without any record. That problem has not been fixed," he said.
Mutore said the information released by the company did little to improve transparency.
"The message uses a lot of words but says nothing useful. Econet should give us a way to check our bundle and see how much we've used. That would help customers manage their data and make things more transparent. Right now, this bundle looks fake and feels like a product that just takes money from customers with no real value," he said.
Some residents said the description of the package as unlimited had created expectations that differed from their day-to-day experience.
Another subscriber said the company continues to market Smart4U as an unlimited product, yet many users see their bundles depleted without understanding how the allocation was consumed.
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Others subscribers suggested the bundle had become FAKE4U stating the nickname reflected growing public frustration rather than confidence in the product.
Not every resident shared the same experience.
One resident said he had been using Smart4U since last year without major difficulties, although he acknowledged hearing widespread complaints about sharp price increases.
Nomore Taudyautumbe said the package had become unaffordable for him, adding "Mine is US$45 and I can't afford it."
Janet Zvinowanda said the challenge was not necessarily the bundle itself but the quality of the network.
"It's unlimited for sure but network is very much limited. You won't fully enjoy the bundle. Well, that's my experience," she said.
Harare resident Clive Musarakufa said Smart4U had reduced his internet costs despite slower speeds.
"Honestly for me it's a win, it's the same terrible speed, same data usage for just US$15 instead of US$45. Almost unusable for important stuff like downloading and uploading work files but surprisingly swift with TikTok, reels and everything else in-between. It's like Econet said God forbid on anything work related, but I've got the latest TikTok drama a win is a win," he said.
Herbert Mhondiwa said Smart4U had become so popular that competing operators should introduce similar products to give consumers more choice.
Subscribers said restoring confidence will require more than explaining how the bundle works.
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