Wireless Federation

MTN launches promotion for new prepaid customers (Africa)

On 11.29.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Africa’s leading telecommunication provider, MTN, has launched a promotion for new prepaid subscribers by offering them free airtime. According to reports, the operator will offer customers purchasing the MTN Pay As You Go starter kit, free airtime worth US$ 14.2 for an entire year, on every recharge of US$ 7.13 or more. Apart from this, the operator also offers the users various benefits such as ten free daily call-backs, five free text messages for every fifteen messages sent along with thirty free SMS every month.

As per sources, the operator says that the US$ 14.2 free airtime is spread across the year, enabling users to receive US$ 1.2 each month. However, in order to receive the monthly airtime, the users need to have a minimum recharge of US$ 7.13 every month. Further, the offer is considered to be valid for a year from purchase of the starter kit, and any customer migrating out of this price plan within the 12 months will lose this benefit.

The promotion is said to be valid from 1 December 2011 to 20 May 2012.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: MTN • Prepaid • Promotion

Bharti Airtel hikes international call rates by 10 percent (India)

On 11.17.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications company, has hiked its international call tariffs by 10 percent for certain destinations for both prepaid and postpaid users while also reducing benefits on add-on services for prepaid users.

According to reports, an Airtel spokesperson has reportedly said tariff rationalisation is a continuous process and a function of market dynamics. With the correction of tariffs for a few international destinations, they continue to remain competitive and deliver value to their customers.

Further, it has been reported Airtel’s prepaid schemes offering users flexible billing plans and reduced roaming tariffs, will now offer fewer benefits for a validity period of six months as compared to one year. As per sources, the operator has reduced the data limit from 2GB to 1GB for US$ 1.91, while also cutting down on the price for regular data download to US$ 0.002 per 10 KB from the earlier charge of US$ 0.005 per KB.

According to company reports, the operator witnessed its seventh consecutive profit decline in the third quarter results, reporting a net profit of US$ 200.5 million down by 38.17 percent from US$ 324.4 million recorded during the same period last year.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Bharti Airtel • data limit • international call rate • postpaid • Prepaid

Vodafone UK launches marketing campaign to drive mobile internet usage (UK)

On 11.03.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Vodafone UK has launched a new marketing campaign worth $3.2 million in an attempt to increase mobile internet usage. According to reports, the campaign targets both postpaid as well as prepaid segments and focuses on the simple services that help improve a user’s daily life.

The campaign reportedly features four service elements which include Vodafone’s unlimited data offer for the first three months on new contract plans; a service that transfers customers’ contacts and media on to their new phones; the Buyback scheme allowing customers to trade in their old phones; and the Sure Signal, that enables customers to boost the mobile signal in their homes. According to industry reports, as much as half of the population in UK owns a smartphone, which is beneficial for mobile operators as date services generate higher margins as compared to regular phones and voice plans.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Marketing Campaign • mobile internet • postpaid • Prepaid • USA • Vodafone UK

Vodafone UK partners with Velti to drive its loyalty programs (UK)

On 10.31.11, In Mobile Operators, By Editor

Vodafone UK, has entered into an agreement with Velti, a leading global provider of mobile marketing and advertising solutions, to drive the next generation of loyalty programs for the operator in the UK. According to reports, Velti aims to target as many as 6 million Vodafone pay-as-you-go customers through this opportunity.

As per sources, Srini Gopalan, Consumer Director, Vodafone UK has said that the Vodafone Freebee Rewardz is yet another reason why customers are choosing Vodafone on pay-as-you-go. It’s a unique scheme offering Vodafone customers something more than just discounts, while enabling customers to take part with whatever pay-as-you-go phone they have. Reports suggest that each time the pay-as-you-go customers refill their account balance; they receive a voucher code through a text message. Customers can either redeem this voucher by claiming an instant reward or bank the points to save up for something bigger. Vodafone UK and Velti have reportedly teamed up with brands such as Thorntons, Blockbuster, Fitness First among others to provide top prizes.

Reports suggest that Menelaos Scouloudis, Chief Commercial Officer, Velti has said that customer retention and ARPU stimulation is vital for operators especially in the pre-paid market where competition is increasingly fierce. He added that by understanding who the customers are and the nature of their relationship with Vodafone UK, the operator is able to provide a more personalized and therefore rewarding experience.

Filed under:Mobile Operators Tagged with: ARPU • Customer loyalty • Freebee Rewardz • Laos • Prepaid • Velti • Vodafone UK

Hrvatski Telekom launches new prepaid solution ‘Simpa’ (Croatia)

On 10.27.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Croation telecom operator, Hrvatski Telekom, has launched a new prepaid solution ‘Simpa’, offering its users affordable communication across all networks in Croatia. According to reports, the new plan is well suited for customers who frequently communicate with users on other networks.

As per sources, Simpa offers users the same price for calls and SMS across all networks based on the value of the top up done by the customer, which could range from US $4.6 to $9.2. Company reports suggest that the prices granted to the customers on the basis of the voucher are valid for 30 days. Further, in the event that the customer uses a second voucher to top-up his account within the same period, the more affordable price will be charged to the customer.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Croatia • Hrvatski Telekom • Prepaid • Simpa

Movistar launches pre-subscription programme ahead of commercial launch (Costa Rica)

On 10.25.11, In Mobile Operators, By Editor

Telefonica’s brand Movistar has reportedly started a pre-subscription programme ahead of its commercial launch in Costa Rica. According to reports, customers who register for one of Movistar’s prepaid or postpaid plans will receive reduced rates at the time of launch. Registered prepaid customers will receive a special tariff of $0.02 per minute for calls to Movistar’s other prepaid customers on Sundays, while postpaid customers will receive a similar benefit for Sundays and holidays.

As per sources, Jorge Abadia, Director, Movistar has said that they will not have the 100 percent coverage they would like on the first day, but are confident that they would have complete coverage of the San Jose metropolitan area by July 2012 and would offer nationwide coverage by 2016. The operator reportedly expects to launch its services commercially in the next few weeks.

Filed under:Mobile Operators Tagged with: Costa Rica • Movistar • postpaid • Prepaid • Tariff • Telefonica

Vodafone launches new BlackBerry prepay service at USD 13.5 per month for 10 years (Qatar)

On 09.26.11, In Mobile Operators, By Editor

Vodafone Qatar has launched a new prepaid Blackberry on Red for just US$ 13.5 per month. Further, the company has said that everyone who signs up before 31 October 2011 will get this rate guaranteed for the next 10 years. This offer is available to all Vodafone Red and Freedom customers.

According to reports, John Saad, Chief Marketing Officer, Vodafone Qatar, has said that Vodafone understands how passionate people in Qatar are about their BlackBerry. Vodafone has had BlackBerry for Account customers for more than a year and they are now delighted to offer this service on prepay with such mega value and at one of the lowest rates in the region.

Apart from the great low rate for BlackBerry, Vodafone is giving customers as much as 300MB of free data each month for local BlackBerry traffic. This can be used for BBM, surfing the net, emails or social networking.

Further, in continuing with its innovative ideas, Vodafone Qatar in partnership with Mobiroo Inc. launched its prepaid BlackBerry App card enabling users to purchase and download BlackBerry Apps without needing to use a credit card. As per reports, Praveen Senadheera, Product Manager for BlackBerry, Vodafone Qatar said that mobile games and entertainment applications are becoming one of the most used features in smartphones today for which most App Stores customers need a credit card to purchase paid applications.

Vodafone BlackBerry customers can purchase the App Card for USD 13.6 from all Vodafone Retail outlets. The card provides customers with instructions on how to access the Vodafone App Store where they can browse and download applications of their choice up to the value of the card.

Filed under:Mobile Operators Tagged with: Blackberry • Prepaid • Qatar • Vodafone

Globacom launches micro Sims (Nigeria)

On 03.30.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Globacom has launched micro Sims for its customers.

The smaller cards are aimed at subscribers with devices such as the Apple iPad and iPhone.

The micro Sim is less than half the size of the conventional Sim, and also has adequate space on its chip for numerous provider applications and increased control and security functions.

The card is available to both Glo prepaid and postpaid subscribers and comes with a price tag of US$4.49. The card is available at any Gloworld shop nationwide.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Apple iPad • Glo • Globacom • Gloworld shop nationwide • iPhone • micro Sims • Nigeria • operator • postpaid • Prepaid

Optus revises prepaid plans for iPad 2 (Australia)

On 03.25.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Optus has launched new SIM-only plans and prepaid recharges for iPad 2 users. The plans start at $20 per month for 2 GB without a contract when customers bring their own SIM.

The month-to-month plan also comes in $30 per month version for 4 GB and $60 per month version for 8 GB. A starter-kit with MicroSIM comes with a price tag of $30, which includes 3 GB of data valid for 30 days. Prepaid recharges start at $15 for 300 MB valid for 15 days and range to $40 for 5 GB valid for 60 days and $130 for 15 GB valid for 12 months.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Australia • iPad 2 • MicroSIM • Opeator • Optus • Prepaid • SIM

Zain Kuwait slashes call charges to Bangladesh

On 03.24.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Zain Kuwait announced that it will be offering a 50% discount on all SMS messages to Bangladesh. the operator will also be offering a 20% discount on international calls to Bangladesh as they celebrate Independence Day on March 26.

The offer applies for one day only for both postpaid and prepaid customers.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Bangladesh • Call Charges • International Call • Kuwait • operator • postpaid • Prepaid • SMS • Zain • Zain Kuwait