MTN South Africa has standardised international call rates across its prepaid, top-up, and contract price plans from Saturday.
The cellular operator, Africa's largest, says this makes it easier for customers to manage their budgets when reaching out to family and friends who are abroad.
Brian Gouldie, chief marketing officer, notes: "For far too long, the cellphone market has been needlessly complex for end-users." He says the group aims to provide call rates that are cost-effective and easier to understand.
The new standardised call rates apply to all MTN customers throughout the day and will automatically come into effect.
"With these international call rates, which start at 99 cents per minute charged at per-second rate, our customers will always know exactly what they will be charged irrespective of the plan they are on," adds Gouldie.
MTN's move follows Cell C's launch last week of two new products in a bid to encourage more customers to sign up with its network.
Acting CEO Jose Dos Santos said: "Some operators are offering complex new promotions, which confuse and muddy the true value, or lack thereof, in their products. Cell C's two new promotions will surprise customers with their simplicity and value for money."
MTN and Cell C have been at loggerheads with each other over mobile termination rates, with Cell C saying MTN is stamping on low prices after MTN instituted legal action to stop the implementation of lower interconnect fees. The fees are skewed towards Cell C and Telkom Mobile.
Cell C offers non-promotional calls from 99c a minute on per-second billing to several countries, while Vodacom offers calls to selected countries from 89c a minute.
Share