CELTEL International, one of three mobile telephone operators in Nigeria has said it would not react to other competitors free night call offer to their subscribers between the hours of 12:30midnight and 5:30am but rather promised to rock down prices of phone handsets, even as it is offering a whopping sum of N96.75 billion in a new promotion campaign that would run through the next three months.
Norman Moyo, Celtel Nigeria’s Chief Executive stated this Wednesday in Lagos at a media briefing to introduce the promotional campaign expected to run through the next three months. The company whose entry to the Nigeria phone terrain has perhaps changed the complexion of mobile business operation recently hinged their non-interest in the free night calls??? freebie offers as other operators on principle and the need to stabilise the telephone market.
According to Moyo, the Celtel brand is noted for its pacesetting role, so we wouldn’t go doing things just because others have introduced a particular incentive to their subscribers.???
Moyo noted that the ‘Free night calls offer’ if joined by Celtel, could engender a healthy business climate, especially in the fledging telecom sector. When we do and they do; they do and we do will, it definitely will not augur well for the industry. It is not good practice for business growth because in the long run, it will ultimately bring down business.
When the business goes down, it would also affect the national economy in general terms. It is a vicious circle and we don’t want to do that, especially in a critical industry as ours. We want to be a part of stabilisation and not to be a catalyst of decline,??? Moyo said.
Ready to introduce cheap handsets
However, Moyo stated that rather than fight over ‘Free night calls’, Celtel would in the not distant future attempt to bring down prices of GSM handsets. We will run down prices of handsets. We’ve started discussions with Motorola and other notable major players with a view to producing phones at reduced cost. We would start rolling out those handsets very soon.???
The Celtel boss noted that telephones were not produced with Africa in the manufacturers proposition, but basically for the European, American and Asian markets. We need phones that are designed for the African market. When these companies produced phones, Africa was not factored into their market proposition. It is only recently that China is beginning to ask questions on what Africa really needs.
It is very critical that we have phones that are produced for our market in Africa,??? Moyo said. Meanwhile, in the three months promotional campaign which took effect 1 November, Moyo said Celtel was offering 750 million dollars (about N96.75billion) first prize winners in a weekly draw every Sunday.
He however noted that the Celtel campaign was a different offer from the norm. The first prize offer gives you an option of either a choice house or choice car or a business proposition of the winner’s choice not valued at more than N15 million. We are leaving the option open to the individual winner. It is his or her choice to choose what they want and not a Celtel proposition,??? Moyo emphasised.
Likewise, second prize winners would receive N250,000 to furnish their homes. But winners in this category will be determine on a daily draw for the next three months.
The Celtel chief executive said it was the company’s way of saying thanking you to our very loyal customers for staying with us all these while, but in doing so, we just want to be unique in our special way. For us at Celtel, increasing the stakes is critical for our value proposition.???
The mobile company first entered Nigeria in 2001 as ECONET Wireless, but later transformed into V-Mobile. However, it was bought over by the Kuwait based MTC Group trading in several African countries as Celtel, founded by Mo Ibrahim, the UK based Sudanese business man who recently launched the top of the world five million dollars prize for good governance to any African leader who voluntarily leaves office.
Source- vanguardngr Wireless Mobile Telecom
