NetOne’s free airtime promotion extended to lower denominations

In December 2010 NetOne introduced a promotion where prepaid subscribers buying a US $15 airtime recharge would get 107 free minutes. This was all grand and fine except that it’s really just a few prepaid subscribers who can afford buying a $15 recharge at once.

In response to this, NetOne this year has extended the promotion to lower recharge denominations. $1 and $5 ones. According to a release we received from NetOne today the extension to lower denominations is in response to customers’ insistent requests for it.

Explaning the promotion and hinting on some terms and conditions, NetOne marketing and sale director, Mrs. Memory Ndoro-Mandiya is quoted here:

“Now that our customers have spoken we are extending the doubling up of airtime value to US$5 denomination. On this recharge card you buy a voucher for US$ 5 and get US$5 for free on NetOne to NetOne calls only. That free airtime is not cumulative, if you recharge with another denomination, the airtime will be replaced by the new airtime one would have loaded. The lifespan of the free airtime is tied to the lifespan of the recharge card itself.”

NetOne is referring to the promotion as the “biggest airtime deal for prepaid subscribers”. While this may be true, only a few mobile subscribers get to enjoy the deal as NetOne accounts for less than 20% of Zimbabwe’s mobile subscribers.

Free airtime deals aside, NetOne and Telecel are ahead of the biggest mobile operator, Econet, on the mobile banking services front. NetOne recently launched a mobile banking service called OneWallet which allows for in-country money remittances via the mobile phone. Telecel made entrance with a product called Skwama launched in partnership with the Kingdom Bank.