Cell C and Vodacom slash rates for prepaid segment (South Africa)
Mobile operators Cell C and Vodacom have introduced new packages for the prepaid segments, with both operators offering local calls to any network for $0.12.
According to a report by iol, in a move that industry watchers believe will trigger a wave of price cuts, Cell C last week introduced its 99 cents for real tariff – slashing its rates by 34 percent. Vodacom followed suit minutes later with its “Freedom 99” plan.
The report reveals that Cell C’s prepaid plan is the cheaper of the two as customers are billed per second from the first second, while Vodacom charges $0.12 for the first minute, then in 30-second increments thereafter.
However, Vodacom offers free Vodacom-to-Vodacom calls from midnight to 5am if customers recharge with at least $1.43 on the day. Further, while Cell C will continue its plan, Vodacom said its deal would end on July 31.
Cell C launches Supa-Woza for prepaid customers – offers 50% bonus on all networks (South Africa)
Cell C has launched its latest prepaid promotion, Supa-Woza, which will give prepaid customers on the All Day, Per Second or Standard tariff plans 50 percent bonus airtime if they recharge with $1.3 or more in a day.
For example if prepaid customers recharge with $6.5 they will receive bonus airtime of $3.2 on top of their $6.5 airtime, giving them $9.7 airtime to call any South African network at any time. If customers recharge with the biggest physical recharge voucher of $19.4 they will receive $9.7 bonus airtime giving them a total of $29.There is no limit to the value recharged, so even if a customer loads $129 in a day, they will receive bonus airtime of $64.5, giving them $193.4 to call any network, any time.
Cell C’s Executive Head of Communications Karin Fourie, said that Cell C knows that costs are rising and prepaid customers need a little bonus every now and then. This is just one of the ways Cell C intends to reward its loyal prepaid customers.
The bonus airtime will be used before the recharged amount and will be valid for seven days. The expiry date of the bonus minutes can be extended by another seven days if customers recharge again with $1.3 or more within the expiry window.
Supa-Woza is applicable on the All Day, Per Second or Standard prepaid tariff plans. Customers who were Woza Wheneva customers and received free Cell C-to-Cell C minutes when they recharged, don’t need to do anything, they are automatically moved to Supa-Woza. They just need to recharge with $1.3 or more and start enjoying their 50% bonus airtime.
Cell C prepaid customers on the All Day, Per Second or Standard tariff plans wanting to join the Supa-Woza promotion can dial *105# and recharge with a minimum of $1.3 in the day to receive the bonus airtime. Customers can also contact the Call Centre or visit their nearest Cell C store for assistance.
The promotion is immediately available to customers and will end on 31 July.
Apple releases new iPad in South Korea and 11 additional countries (USA)
Apple launched the new iPad, the third generation of its category defining mobile device, in South Korea and 11 additional countries on Friday, April 20. The new iPad features a stunning new Retina display, Apple’s new A5X chip with quad-core graphics and a 5 megapixel iSight camera with advanced optics for capturing amazing photos and 1080p HD video. The new iPad still delivers the same all-day 10 hour battery life while remaining amazingly thin and light.
In addition to South Korea, the new iPad also will be available beginning on Friday, April 20 in Brunei, Croatia, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Malaysia, Panama, St Maarten, Uruguay and Venezuela. Beginning on Friday, April 27, the new iPad will be available in Colombia, Estonia, India, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, South Africa and Thailand.
The new iPad Wi-Fi models will be available in black or white for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model and $699 (US) for the 64GB model. The iPad Wi-Fi + 4G models will be available for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model.
The new iPad will be sold through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com) and select Apple Authorized Resellers. Additionally, iPad 2 is available at a more affordable price starting at just $399.
RIM looks towards Asian markets to cover declining margins (Asia)
Canada based BlackBerry maker, Research In Motion (RIM) is looking at the Indian market for the launch of its new BlackBerry mobile phone, which is targeted at the lower-end users, according to a report by Reuters.
As per the report, RIM is following a parallel approach: building the high-end next generation platform and devices, while coming up with cheaper phones that can prod some of the vast majority of its users to trade up. Patrick Spence, RIM’s global sales chief, told Reuters that they’re really trying to build on and help those people who are moving from feature phone to smartphone. They believe they can be successful in that.
RIM has launched its new handset, the Curve 9220 in India, with other markets to follow. A RIM spokesman said the company would launch in Indonesia, one of its most lucrative markets, in the coming weeks.
RIM doesn’t break down its sales by region, but has reported that sales outside the U.S., Britain and Canada accounted for 68 percent of total revenue in its fourth quarter, up from 61 percent in the previous three months. Those markets include India, South Africa, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, which RIM says are all targets for this year’s sales blitz.
MTN launches 3G services in Ivory Coast (Africa)
MTN plans to offer its customers 3G services as soon as possible following the receipt of 3G licences in Benin and Ivory Coast. According to reports, Christian de Faria, MTN Group Chief Commercial Officer, said that this is exciting news for their customers, as they will now enjoy the benefits of world-class connectivity. They are grateful to the governments of Cote d’Ivoire and Benin for enabling MTN to further enhance the experience of mobile telephony for their customers.
Wim Vanhelleputte, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), announced that West African Cable System (WACS), a submarine cable stretching 14,000 kilometers between Portugal and South Africa, will upgrade connectivity for Ivoirians to international standards.
Vanhelleputte said that this is a dream come true for many Ivoirians whose internet access has been held back for a very long time. The cable will allow more Ivoirians to enjoy fast access to the internet. They have already identified about 30 per cent of subscribers who will be the first to experience and enjoy the 3G service.
Regarding the licence offered in Benin, Eric Tronel, Chief Executive Officer for MTN Benin, said that MTN is the first and only operator in Benin with a license which allows the use of new generation technologies, such as 3G, 4G, LTE and Wimax. This presents a great opportunity to improve business communication solutions and other services to customers, both in the consumer and corporate sectors. Customers are already eagerly waiting for the launch of new services using the new technology, and MTN Benin is working hard to ensure that customers are not disappointed.
Cell C may offer Apple iPhone (South Africa)
Mobile operator Cell C may have reached an agreement with US giant Apple to sell the iPhone in South Africa. According to reports, CEO Alan Knott-Craig said that they are planning to sell the iPhone in the coming months.
This will be a first for the operator as they have not signed a contract with Apple earlier. With Apple leading the global smartphone arena, selling the iPhone may give the operator a boost in subscribers as well as give it better grounds for competition. Rival operators Vodacom and MTN have been selling the iPhone which has been high in demand.
MTN Group’s subscriber base reaches 164.5 million (Africa)
South Africa-based multinational mobile telecommunications company MTN Group, has reported subscriber additions of 22.9 million for the year, taking its total subscriber base to 164.5 million. According to the company report, West and Central Africa (WECA) Region was responsible for 71.557 subscribers, followed by the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with 55.338 million subscribers and the South and East Africa (SEA) region contributed 37.606 million subscribers.
The total revenue for the Group stood at US$ 16.09 billion, up 9.7 per cent from the previous year, which was at US$ 14.53 billion. Data revenue was at US$ 1.07 billion while revenue generated from SMS was US$ 990 million.
Sifiso Dabengwa, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Group, said that the company will continue to look for opportunities for acquisitions around the world. The company is working towards improving customers experience by investing in network improvement, hiring experienced staff, providing quality service, improving distribution and brining on more value-added services, among other things.
MTN to investigate Turkcell’s bribery claim (South Africa, Iran)
Leading mobile operator in South Africa, MTN, has said that it is investigating accusations by rival Turkcell regarding a bribery claim for its Iran business. According to company reports, Turkcell has claimed that MTN transferred improper payments to a government official in Iran in order to secure a licence.
The company has said that they have set up a special committee to investigate these claims. In a statement, the company has said that Turkcell was planning to initiate legal action in the US claiming that the operator violated the laws while applying for the licence.
Further, the company has said that MTN has zero tolerance for corruption and unethical business practices. Accordingly, the Board of Directors has established a special committee consisting of non-executive directors to consider the allegations made in support of the Turkcell US Claim. The Board has appointed Lord Leonard Hoffmann, an internationally renowned jurist, to chair the committee, to oversee and validate its investigation, and to ensure the integrity and independence of the investigation.
Cell C appoints Alan Knott-Craig as CEO (South Africa)
South Africa based mobile operator Cell C has appointed Alan Knott-Craig as its CEO effective from 1 April 2012. Prior to this, Alan was the CEO for South Africa’s biggest telecom company, Vodacom.
According to company reports, Simon Duffy, non-executive Chairman, Cell C said that Alan is one of the most capable and experienced leaders in the industry and he is confident that his appointment will significantly enhance Cell C’s ability to provide an excellent service to its customers and to compete even more effectively for their business. Further, Cell C has carved out a strong position as an innovative alternative in the industry and, having made considerable progress over the past few years, is strategically well-positioned for growth.
Alan Knott Craig has said that after a break from the telecommunications industry, he is looking forward to being at the helm of Cell C. The mobile telecommunications sector is a highly innovative and disruptive industry, and he is excited about the challenge of making Cell C a more effective competitor to the dominant players. The company has benefited from considerable investment in the past few years, particularly in its network but also in many other areas of the business, and he is confident that he will be able to build on that investment to accelerate the company’s growth.
Bharti Airtel contemplates mobile service launch in South Africa and Cameroon (Africa)
India’s leading telecommunications operator Bharti Airtel may be planning to expand its network in South Africa and Cameroon, as learned through industry sources. Airtel is a dominant player in the mobile industry with operations in 19 countries across Asia and Africa.
Mobile penetration has steadily been increasing in African countries, and with most of the global markets being saturated, emerging markets such as Africa provide mobile operators with new opportunities to increase their subscriber base and enhance their revenue.
Currently Airtel offers services in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Madagascar, Niger, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. By adding South Africa and Cameroon, two of Africa’s fastest growing mobile economies to the list, Airtel aims to strengthen its position in Africa.
Airtel is the leading mobile operator in India and is well known for its innovative and competitive tariff pricing. The operator’s entry into these new markets is expected to take the mobile industry by storm and introduce an unprecedented level of competition.
Airtel presently offers services in 15 cities in India and with the population of one Indian city being similar to that of one African country, South Africa and Cameroon have the potential to be extremely lucrative for Bharti Airtel.
Further, sources claim that rival operators currently offering services in these economies such as MTN, Vodacom and Orange are already working on strategies to maintain their market share and offer stiff competition to Airtel.
