MTN`s Web site has been transformed into a new portal, providing a one-stop-shop for MTN users. To promote the site, MTN is offering free Internet surfing via WAP to contract and prepaid users for three months.
Phillip Hill, MTN GM of products, services and innovation, says the new Web site is an amalgamation of the previous Web sites, www.mtn.co.za, www.mtngroup.co.za and MTNIce, and includes a new content section, called Loaded.
The portal is receiving more hits per day than all three previous sites put together, which has resulted in users experiencing errors when trying to logon to the site.
"We will be putting in another four servers tonight to cope with the traffic demand. And as traffic increases, will then upgrade our capacity further," he says.
Thabiet Allie, Loaded portal content manager, says prepaid users will also be able to access Loaded as MTN will provide them with access to the WAP site through GPRS. This is the first time in SA that prepaid users have had access to GPRS, he says.
"This means that for the next three months, all MTN users will only have to pay for the content and will not pay a download cost. Added to that, users will not have to buy credits or pay by credit card as content will be billed directly to users` cellphone accounts," he says.
Loaded contains new ringtones, images, video clips and Java games. Users can also send five free SMSs per day and purchase more SMSs at 50c each, Allie says.
Loaded is categorised according to people`s interests, such as music, sport, games, news and entertainment. Allie says content is produced locally as well as sourced from international providers like EA Games and Universal Music.
Hill says Loaded will be positioned to provide more content when MTN`s network is upgraded to a third-generation network, providing streaming, video clips and better graphics.
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