Mobile operator Vodacom has announced an unprecedented cut in call rates of up to 50% during the peak call time of 5pm to 8pm on weekdays.
Dubbed Vodacom’s “Happy Hours”, the new tariff, to be launched on Sunday, will see a standard on-network call rate of R1,49 per minute (including value-added tax) for pre-paid and contract customers.
The new rate will also mean that Vodacom will offer its customers the cheapest peak time video-call tariff in the world.
The new tariff will be effective immediately for all pre-paid customers with no special subscription, starter pack or cell number required and from October 1 for all contract subscribers, subject to Independent Communications Authority of South Africa’s (Icasa) approval.
Says Alan Knott-Craig, CEO of the Vodacom group: “This is a continuation of a trend to lower cellphone tariffs in a competitive environment.
“Reductions over the past year have included a 10% reduction in pre-paid; a 60% reduction in SMS; and a massive 90% reduction in rates for data. Other than these new reductions in tariffs, consumers can expect our data tariffs to become even more competitive as we complete the roll-out of our 3G network.”
Vodacom also announced that these — and other tariff adjustments awaiting Icasa approval — will see more than 13-million Vodacom pre-paid customers enjoying an actual overall reduction in their monthly cellular spend of between 4% and 9%.
Except for very high-spending Vodacom contract customers who already enjoy very low tariffs, other Vodacom contract customers can also look forward to a reduction in their monthly bill.
The new “Happy Hours” tariff applies to Vodacom-to-Vodacom calls, per-second and per-minute pre-paid packages as well as top-up and contract packages. It excludes Talk 500, Corporate 500, Talk 1000 and Messenger. — I-Net Bridge