You Only Think Using Your Mobile Is Expensive Where You Are
Les Afriques is reporting (in French, here’s the Google Translation) that the local carriers have raised their rates by 1000%, thanks to the rampant, rampant inflation currently going on there. It is now an expensive-sounding Z$5 to Z$7 per outgoing SMS, calls within Zimbabwe are Z$12 to Z$18 per minute, International calls are Z$30 to Z$40 per minute.
At least at this writing, 1 US dollar is roughly 33 Zimbabwean dollars, making it up to USD $0.22 a text, up USD $0.55 to make an in-country call, and up to USD $1.25 a minute to make an international call. I’m willing to bet everyone’s on prepaid there, and this is certainly high by US standards.
I have to believe these prices will go up more as Zimbabwe’s economic crisis continues, where they are using gas coupons to trade for things. At least gas maintains its value.
Via IntoMobile, textually.org