Calls to international visitors in SA, roaming on the Vodacom network, can now be fixed at a flat rate of R3.50 per minute.
Vodacom has introduced TravelTalk, where international numbers are dialled from a Vodacom contract phone with a unique prefix in order to reduce the cost of the call.
By dialling #0#, instead of the usual +27 prefix, callers automatically qualify for the discounted call rate. The cost of R3.50 is irrespective of the duration of the call. In the past, phoning a person from Mexico would, as point of comparison, cost nearly R10 a minute, while calls to UK numbers cost just under R5 a minute.
In addition, "international visitors roaming on Vodacom's network do not pay for the international leg when receiving calls from Vodacom contract customers or other international visitors roaming on Vodacom's network," says Vodacom in a statement on the new product.
The recipient of TravelTalk calls does not need to do anything for the caller to receive the discount, but must be on the Vodacom network.
Dot Field, chief communications officer for the Vodacom group, explains that as soon as an international visitor arrives in SA and switches on their cellphone, automatic network selection will occur. The network to which the cellphone is connected will appear on the cellphone screen.
Country-of-origin service providers often have roaming agreements with more than one service provider in any given country their customers roam in.
Field explains "if they [international visitors] are not connected to the Vodacom network, the visitor can select the Vodacom network by going to the network settings in the cellphone menu".
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