Orion Cellular has launched its 08:4free service - a cutting-edge solution that enables organisations to implement their own toll-free cellular service.
What`s more, it works with all of the GSM networks - MTN, Vodacom and Cell-C.
Many mobile callers dialling standard Telkom 0800 or 0860 numbers from their cellphones are not aware that these calls are billed to their SIM cards at full rates. Orion`s 08:4free solution overcomes this.
This new innovative service enables corporates to set up their own toll-free number(s) for mobile handsets. In addition, unlike normal 0800 landline services, Orion offers a full management and provisioning platform to control the system. It cannot be abused as each caller has to be registered on the system - a process which is done by the company`s system administrator. Many thousands of users can be registered on a single 08:4free platform, which caters for multiple toll-free numbers and is totally scaleable for any size organisation.
Calls into the system are free and the company is billed at the lowest possible cellular rates. Thus if employees are calling in, the total cost to the organisation is considerably reduced - especially for staff using prepaid SIMs.
"A major application for this service is in a loyalty programme," says Brett Wood, Orion`s 08:4free product manager. "An example might be an insurance company which offers the toll-free number to its field brokers who request quotes from different insurance companies. If the broker knows that calls to a particular company are free, they are more likely to use that insurance house and these days all companies are looking for ways to improve business loyalty," he adds.
Toll-free lines are not just used to generate customer loyalty - they are also widely used by field personnel and other closed user groups within organisations. An example is a bank that might want to offer its top echelon clients a toll-free cellular number to call.
"There are many opportunities for companies with their own sophisticated billing engines. In the case of the bank, while `Gold` clients may get their cell calls for free, `Silver` clients may get calls at half price (while the bank absorbs the rest) and `Bronze` clients may have to pay full fare - or more. These calls could be added to the end-of-month statement, which clients may prefer, rather than debiting their SIM cards," said Wood.
Orion is targeting the corporate market for various applications of 08:4free toll-free and one of these is the vast number of prepaid users who work for a company but are given an allowance or even SIM cards as part of the package. One of the reasons companies do this, is because the cost of administering end-of-month re-imbursements on standard contracts for staff often outweighs the lower call charges on the contract tariff and prepaid is just an easier option. Now the company can have the best of both worlds as a low value prepaid SIM can be issued and all calls to the company are now free to the user. The company pays for these at about half the cost of the prepaid call. Wood explained how this works: "The average business hours call from a prepaid SIM is about R2.41 (excluding VAT) per minute while we (Orion) charge our 08:4free clients only R1.23 per minute - a saving of 49% or R1.18 per minute. What`s more - any prepaid SIM from any of the cellular network providers will work."
For the system to work with all cellular networks Orion Cellular Research and Development engineers had to come up with an intelligent system - "Uniswitch" - that manages the toll-free platform and can be configured by the client.
Uniswitch is a cellular switch that can be programmed for a variety of wireless voice, SMS and data applications, one of which is toll-free. It will also be integrated with Orion`s Uniserver, a PC-based Web-centric control and management centre for other diverse applications such as SMS, prepaid SIM card issuing, etc.
Orion 08:4free uses a single trigger number (or more if required) which all users call. It recognises the caller, automatically drops the line and calls the subscriber back within a few seconds thus incurring no cost on the subscriber`s SIM. The system administrator programs Uniswitch to ring the company switchboard (or any number) as usual so when the operator answers, it`s like answering any other call.
For further information, call Orion Telecom on (011) 713-6600 or e-mail 084free@oriontele.com.
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