Addis Ababa — October 2025: Ethio Telecom has launched a new line of affordable cloud-based smartphones, aimed at bridging Ethiopia’s digital divide and accelerating the adoption of its 4G network.
The new “Znexus” series — comprising the Znexus 127 Lite, Znexus 131 Lite, and Znexus 2028 Lite — delivers smartphone-like functionality by shifting computing power to the cloud. This design drastically lowers device costs, improves battery efficiency, and removes local storage limits, making digital access more affordable for millions of users still dependent on 2G and 3G feature phones.
Each Znexus device comes preloaded with popular cloud-based apps such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and news platforms, alongside lightweight games and entertainment services. The phones also feature intuitive user interfaces designed to make digital onboarding easier for first-time users.
Ethio Telecom said the Znexus initiative directly targets one of Africa’s biggest connectivity challenges: smartphone affordability rather than network coverage. According to the Africa Group of Six (G6), over 60% of mobile users in Sub-Saharan Africa remain offline despite network availability — mainly due to device cost and lack of digital literacy.
In Ethiopia, the telco’s 4G network now reaches 936 towns, covering 71% of the population, while 5G services are available in 26 towns. However, many still rely on feature phones, restricting their access to key digital tools like mobile payments, e-learning, healthcare, agriculture, and e-government platforms.
“By offering smartphone-like services at a fraction of the cost, Znexus helps Ethiopia and Africa leapfrog traditional barriers to digital inclusion,” the company said in a statement.
The initiative mirrors a broader African trend — Vodacom South Africa launched a similar Mobicel S4 4G Cloud Phone in 2024 — signaling a growing shift toward cloud-powered mobile accessibility.
In addition to the smartphones, Ethio Telecom unveiled “Cloud Workspace,” a managed services platform that provides secure virtual desktops and applications for businesses, government agencies, and NGOs. The service operates on a pay-as-you-go model and supports Znexus PADs, laptops, and thin clients for scalable digital transformation.
The Znexus line and Cloud Workspace are part of Ethio Telecom’s “Next Horizon: Digital and Beyond 2028 Strategy,” launched in August, which aims to evolve the company from a connectivity provider into a platform and ecosystem leader. The strategy targets 99% population coverage with 4.5G by 2028, underscoring Ethiopia’s ambition to lead Africa’s digital leap.
