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MTN launches promotional 79c rate

Staff Writer
By Staff Writer, ITWeb
Johannesburg, 14 Apr 2014
MTN SA has an obligation to ensure quality communication at affordable prices, says chief marketing officer Brian Gouldie.
MTN SA has an obligation to ensure quality communication at affordable prices, says chief marketing officer Brian Gouldie.

MTN South Africa has introduced a flat rate of 79c per minute across all networks for its prepaid customers, effective immediately.

The 79c flat rate is accessible to MTN customers from 11 April for the next three months, and the group aims to make it permanent, it says. MTN SA says the new tariff is applicable to per-second rates.

MTN SA, which is set to form a venture with Telkom Mobile that will hold both companies' tower assets, says its "extensive network investment" means there is "ample capacity available for customers".

The promotional tariff follows its March announcement that it was launching an offering that includes prepaid and contract price plans and bundles for unlimited voice, SMSes and data - called MTN Sky.

MTN SA chief marketing officer Brian Gouldie says: "As a truly South African company, it is our obligation to ensure quality communication at affordable prices."

MTN and Vodacom have recently come under fire for challenging lower termination rates promulgated by the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA). Although the duopoly won the court bid, the lower tariffs will be in effect between April and October, by which time ICASA must have implemented new rates.

The company's action drew the ire of Cell C and other parties, which accused the companies of not caring about consumers and not being willing to drop call rates. There is an indirect link between mobile termination rates and what consumers pay as lower tariffs are meant to stimulate competition.

MTN SA says current pay-per-second customers will automatically benefit from the 79c rate, while new customers will default to the new flat rate.

MTN customers not on MTN Pay Per Second can dial *141*4*4# to migrate. MTN Zone customers can access the rate through the recently introduced MTN Pay As You Go value bundles by dialling *141* to purchase bundles.

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