MTN Zambia has plans to increase the penetration of Internet in the country through the introduction of affordable data services
MTN has launched a promotional package named Spaka that will allow subscribers to get 10 Mb of data, six minutes of talk-time and unlimited text messages for US$0.25 everyday.
The promotion is aimed at reducing the cost of Internet in Zambia and allowing as many people as possible to access the Internet through laptops and Internet-enabled handsets.
At present, Zambians pay about US$0.04 per second for mobile phone calls, while data bundles cost as much as US$0.5 for 10 Mb. According to Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority, there are 10.5mn mobile phone subscribers in the country but less than three million have access to the Internet.
Amon Jere, chief sales and distribution officer at MTN, said that the company has realised that data will soon be the main driver of communication in the country.
“Internet penetration in Zambia is still very low. To bridge the digital divide, we are putting out data proposition at the forefront of everything we do. MTN Zambia is providing affordable data services and devices. For us, prices should not be an issue when it comes to accessing the Internet,” Jere said.
MTN, Airtel and Zamtel are the three mobile phone operators currently operating in Zambia. The government has called on the three mobile operators to reduce the cost of communication. The government has also said that it will facilitate the introduction of a fourth mobile phone operator should others fail to comply.
