In what it believes is a first for South African mobile customers, Cell C will be offering free WhatsApp services to its customers.
“I have said before that we as mobile carriers have to embrace the over the top (OTT) players and partner with them to provide customers with added value,” says Cell C CEO, Jose Dos Santos.
“WhatsApp is one of the most popular OTT services on our network. We know that our customers are using it extensively to keep up with family and friends and we could not ignore the opportunity to add value,” he says.
From 19 October 2014, WhatsApp usage will automatically be free to all existing and new contract customers. WhatsApp will also be free to all prepaid customers on MegaBonus.
Cell C WhatsApp users will be able to send pictures, voice messages, videos and text messages via WhatsApp free of charge without incurring any data charges. Prepaid customers who are not yet on Cell C’s MegaBonus can simply dial *108# to benefit from free WhatsApp – and triple their airtime value.
“WhatsApp is pleased to partner with Cell C as it presents this unique offering to users in South Africa. With over 600-million active users around the world, we remain focused on helping people communicate and stay connected in a way that has become a part of everyday life,” says Brian Acton, co-founder of WhatsApp.
“This is just the first step in the game; we have much more planned in the social media space. We are embracing these technologies to enrich our own customers’ lives. This is yet another reason to port your number and switch to the network that offers you the most innovative products and services in the market, if you are not already on Cell C,” says Dos Santos.
He adds that the more customers that join the network, the longer the promotion will run. “What I can guarantee is that at the very least, Cell C customers on the relevant packages will not pay a cent to use WhatsApp this festive season.”