Johannesburg, 04 Nov 2022
Since 2018, South Africa has seen a decline in the number of fixed and satellite broadband subscriptions,[1] which are waning in favour of mobile broadband usage. In a mobile-first society where users primarily access the internet through mobile devices, African operators have an opportunity to advance broadband consumption in new ways and spark a digital transformation. This transformation starts with taking a wholistic, 360-degree view from the subscriber’s perspective and examining all the ways that operators can improve the user experience.
One of the ways that operators can shape user experiences and promote broadband usage on their network is through mobile phones and applications. With smartphones, users can stream movies, shop directly from their phone, interact on social media, all while remaining connected with families and friends in immersive ways. Unfortunately, smartphones are not attainable for every subscriber, but that does not have to preclude operators from extending the benefits of the digital economy to every subscriber. Radisys offers an array of affordable handsets, including feature phones, available with captivating apps on high-quality devices that are attainable for the masses.
The expansion of 4G and 5G networks throughout African, Latin American and the Middle Eastern regions will create new opportunities for mobile operators to enable mass-market digital experiences with an economical, feature-rich phone. More than just a handset, the Radisys Reach portfolio of phones are lifestyle accelerators that bring high-value customer engagements and streamline customer experiences – all of which translates to greater stickiness and reduced churn for mobile operators. The look and feel and rich functionality of a high-quality device builds pride for the subscriber.
For example, the 4G feature phone offered by Radisys is high quality and competitively priced while providing an excellent user experience. The value of the Radisys Reach phone is that it delivers consistent, user-friendly digital experiences unmatched by any other product, network operator or OTT solution. These phones are not only easy to use, they also provide significantly better service capabilities than devices operating on legacy 2G networks. The 4G network’s higher bandwidth powers excellent quality video streaming, winning social applications and mass market appeal.
Driving revenue occurs when users have access to engaging experiences. Traditional feature phones are not powerful enough to engage users with a high-end customer experience. Premium-grade feature phones with vivid colour displays and 4G connectivity create the impact that drives customer loyalty and generates usage-based revenue for the operator.
Rich, integrated digital experiences will be central to South Africa’s digital transformation and providing access to the right devices, features, capabilities and apps must be part of the operator’s strategy. Building on significant experience helping operators in some of the world’s most diverse economies, Radisys has developed a unique set of products, skills and strategies to help service providers plan, deploy and operate digital engagement services that can increase their subscriber base, grow average revenue per user (ARPU) and reduce customer churn through sticky, loyalty-enhancing services. To learn more, visit www.radisys.com.
[1] Connecting Africa, “SA smartphone numbers jump, but fixed broadband subs drop”, June 4, 2020
Share