Its been exactly one month plus eight days since converged mobile network operator NetOne launched One-Fi and One-Cliq, two broadband solutions which signaled the operator’s grand entrance into the Internet Service Provider market.
By Cisco Eng. Shingie Lev Muringi
Over the past three weeks, 263Chat team has been putting the One-Fi service to test while covering Premier Soccer League matches at the eight stadiums across Zimbabwe including National Sports Stadium (Harare), Barbourfields Stadium (Bulawayo), Luveve Stadium (Bulawayo), Dulivadzimu Stadium (Beitbridge), Maglas Stadium (Zvishavane), Baobab Stadium (Ngezi), Mandava Stadium (Zvishavane) and Ascot Stadium (Gweru).
One-Fi gives wireless connectivity to a maximum of 32 users, powered by NetOne’s 3G and 4G network. We tasked our team members to carry a score sheet and rate One-Fi’s performance in those eight stadiums and here are the findings:
We send three team members to cover the Harare City vs Dynamos match at the National Sports Stadium during the Week 10 of the Castle Premier Soccer League played on the 25th of May. Using One-Fi, one of our team member sat in the VVIP Section closer to the One-Fi router. He reported to have constant connectivity right from the buildup of the match through to the final as witnessed by his tweeter updates below. He rated One-Fi with a score of 9/10.
Live match updates between Harare City FC and Dynamos from the NSS
Our team member based in Bulawayo gave us a constant feed during the Highlanders vs Chicken Inn match played at Babourfields Stadium. He rated One-Fi with a score of 7/10 since he complained that he could not do Facebook Live during the halftime.
During the Week 11 games, we send a team member to Ngezi where he managed to cover an exciting encounter between Ngezi Platinum and Bulawayo City FC played at the Baobab Stadium in Mhondoro. Despite Ngezi being a small town setup outside Harare, our team member reported to have a surprising constant 4G connectivity from his One-Fi router throughout the match. He gave One-Fi 9/10 since he was able to produce live tweeter updates and constant Facebook posts.
With those practical experiences from our trial period using One-Fi, 263Chat can now safely depend on the NetOne’s network for our live match coverage and other field work. It is of common knowledge to all football fans and journalists who throng the stadiums across the country that Zimbabwe has the worst network connectivity in the stadiums. But, thanks to NetOne for innovating a viable solution which now gives us reliable access to the Internet while in the stadiums.
Never miss the live updates of all the football action in Zimbabwe as our team will be bringing you the AFCON qualifier match between Zimbabwe and Liberia at the NSS in real time!! Stay tuned to our 263Chat platforms on Twitter, Facebook and other social media accounts.
The Battle For Relevance Continues………!! – By Cisco Eng. Shingie Lev Muringi
