Telecel has co-branding testing agreement with Opera Software

Last week, we posted that Telecel Zimbabwe started pushing updates of a co-branded version of the Opera Mini mobile browser to subscribers. The special Opera Mini browser has some Speed Dial shortcuts set to the Telecel website and its social media pages. We contacted Telecel to give us more information and they responded.

The response says that Telecel Zimbabwe has a testing agreement with Opera Software to optimise mobile broadband experience for subscribers that use the browser on their mobile phones.

Here’s an extract of the response:

Telecel is running a three-month pilot test project with Opera Mini in order to try to optimise the management of data traffic. A decision on whether or not to enter into a commercial agreement with Opera Mini will be taken after about three months.

A co-branding testing Group Frame Agreement was signed between Opera Mini and Orascom Telecom Holding, which is Telecel companies’ parent company, late last year. Telecel Zimbabwe is benefiting from this agreement.

Telecel Zimbabwe went live on Opera Mini on Monday this week (February 20).

Opera Mini is the most popular mobile browser globally. The browser is particularly popular with feature phone users requiring a usable internet experience on EDGE and GPRS connections. Opera Mini’s popularity stems from cloud processing technologies that enable the browser to deliver pages with great speed and minimum usage of a user’s data subscription. Its platform’s technologies also improve compatibility with websites not designed for mobile devices.

Special Opera Mini performance and skinning deals between Opera Software and mobile network operators are not uncommon and provide a channel for Opera to monetise the free mobile browser.