So how much airtime do you use per day? A dollar? 5? Do you feel the dollars you spend are too much for the talk time you get? If you’re like us you definitely wish you could squeeze in more minutes of conversation into that dollar. Maybe twice what you get now at least? Maybe eat (well, talk) all you can for a flat fee? You actually can. This dream deal is available from NetOne right now.
Starting 1 July NetOne is running a promotion called “dollar a day”, which, like the name suggests, allows you to make unlimited calls for just a dollar a day. You can also buy a higher denomination of $5 and get unlimited calls for 5 days. The detail, pretty much expected with such deals, is that this applies only to voice calls made to other NetOne subscribers. But this doesn’t take away the huge cost saving for subscribers.
The one bit that’s not so attractive about the deal is that it is a promotion, and it only runs until July 31. We don’t see that many people jumping to migrate from Econet or Telecel just for a month’s (18 days now) worth of ultra-cheap calls, especially as they also have to convince their friends and family to migrate too for the deal to make cents sense. Maybe migrating temporarily until the promotion expires?
This negative bit of a short promotion period aside, we are fascinated that competition is heating up to these new heights, and that it’s coming from a corner we didn’t expect. We have no idea of course if NetOne can afford this, especially in terms of network capacity. The mobile network has over 1.6 million subscribers now.
The NetOne Corporate Brand Manager, Rutendo Chaburuka told us yesterday that the main objective with the promotion was subscriber acquisition. “You can never acquire enough subscribers. This creates excitement and interest, and the airtime is actually sold. We’re in business but we also create value for the customer,” Chaburuka explained.
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18 comments
thats the way to go.at this rate am buying my mbuya,sekuru,mainini etc a netone line.guaranteed $30 bill per month!
nah,i dont buy it,these guys have a long way to go before i consider them.
Unlimited ? This seems like an overly expensive promotion
My Friend, there are no interconnection fees involved here, Telecel is actually giving a 100% bonus for all airtime purchased and they have been doing that for the past years! These other guys are not very serious, Econet actually felt that they are losing out to give up a $1 for every $50! now I am using Econet for receiving and Telecel for phoning!
its good.
The objectives make sense, but they should have given the promotion more room to run. I am sure it will take more than a month to spread in the news across our beautiful country.
This is laughable.
You do not create loyal customers with a sales promotion
that is so limited in its duration. I see no reason why I would remove my Chakuti
sim card just to make calls to a Netone number, which everyone I know does not
have, for a $1 the whole day!
Secondly, even if I wanted to, I would simply use the Netone
line until the end of the month and put my Chakuti line back as soon as the
promotion ends. I can keep the Netone line but never use it.
In so far as branding is concerned, actual experience worldwide
shows that some of these sales promiotions do little for the brand, unless you
want your brand to be associated with sales promotions as the only reason to
use the brand.
In South Africa Edgars, for example, has fallen victim to
that. The special offers it flights every time has left people only buying when
a special offer is announced. Without special offers, people stay away. That is
why practically every month, even during peak season, there are special offers.
Its like when you only make sales via deal sites like Groupon.
Once the deal is over people go away and wait.
But anyway, since the promotion will run for 5 seconds
during which I doubt it will reach the entire country, they may not meet with
the same fate.
Good point, but in their favour, unlimited calling should be multiples more engaging and habit forming than mere bonus minutes. The real weakness I see is the time period. Zimbos aren’t that quick on the uptake and 2-3 months would have been ideal and long enough to create a dependency, as well as guarantee returns (I wonder if a significant percentage of Netone’s 1,6mil subscribers are paying in excess of $30 per month?). Then as long as their service levels remain acceptable (assuming) people shouldn’t have a problem moving from Econet who don’t offer much beyond superior coverage, which you’ll only notice if you’re on a road trip.
Personally I’m not tempted as I’m quite happy with my move to Telecel. And because I do road trip often my 2 line limit is unhappily filled by Econet for its coverage..
Just wondering, what exactly would be wrong with offering say 1hr voice per day for $30/month contracts? I’ve nothing to back this but I suspect the larger percentage of subscibers on any network doesn’t pay this much but would be compelled to for this kind of deal. I wonder what the real barriers are, if someone “in the know” would care to answer…?
If they really want to lure customers and keep them, they need to offer better than Telecel is offering – a dollar for a dollar permanently (or even Africom). When the mega juice started it was a promotion for a longer period but was extended indefinitely and that has won Telecel customer loyalty. Its not worthy it, to buy a line , get it registered then not use it.
Good promotion but sad because i could never use it even if i get the line. I make less than 3 calls a week to netone subscribers. honestly out of 400 contacts i have 2 Netone contacts in my phone book. Keep it up you base might grow
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