MTN expands roaming service

The MTN Group has expanded its One World roaming services to its east and southern Africa operations in the wake of its launch in its west and central African operations.

The four countries that are joining Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon ,where the seamless roaming service was launched in November 2008, are Uganda, Zambia, Botswana and Swaziland.

"MTN One World encourages the subscriber to carry the MTN phone 'everywhere you go' and to benefit from MTN's wide footprint," Pearl Majola, senior manager of external communications of the MTN Group, said in e-mail.

"It is another effort that underscores our commitment to continually provide service innovations that improve service to our growing subscriber base and meet our customers' needs."

At the end of 2008, the MTN Group announced plans to introduce a seamless roaming platform for all its 22 operations in Africa and the Middle East. Majola said the roaming service has been implemented on a regional basis because of the complexity of pulling it off and that the phase two process of integrating three regions, including the Middle East, has started.

She said on entering another country where the roaming service is available, a user receives a welcome SMS that provides them with customer care and service information.

MTN's seamless roaming allows prepaid subscribers travelling between participating countries to recharge or top up their accounts using airtime vouchers from the host or visited country. All calls made by the traveler will be charged at the local rates of the MTN participating country.

This means that the customer will make calls and pay rates that locals in the visited country pay to receive incoming calls and access SMS and other value-added services. Free incoming calls and local calling rates have also been extended to the post-paid subscriber base.

The move will help MTN attract high-value customers and business users as well as retain current users.

Asked whether One World is part of the initiatives being implemented ahead of the football World Cup, Majola said it was initiated before the World Cup but that the event will help leverage the service.

Majola said the response has so far been good but she expects uptake will accelerate as people become more informed about the service.

Right now, a user does not need a SIM card replacement when traveling within participating MTN operations. MTN subscribers have in the past been frustrated when travelling on business to South Africa, the company's home market, and having to buy a new SIM card while many non-business travelers simply switched off their phones.

By expanding its roaming service, MTN will be following in the footsteps of rival, Zain.