2013-12-13Staff Report 2 WINDHOEK - MTC, the biggest cellular network operator in Namibia, ushered in a new era of Internet access with the expansion of its 4G LTE service to its prepaid platforms. This new feature will allow prepaid subscribers to access Internet, using high speeds and charged per time intervals rather than per MB volume usage as usual. MTC heralds the launch as a new era of data accessibility to all spectrums of society by providing the Namibian consumer access to the best network, utilizing the most advanced communication platform and speeds on the MTC 4G LTE platform. Netman 4G Time Prepaid will be a time-based Internet access prepaid product, charged per time intervals and not per volume usage, with speeds up to 100 Mbps and it is available at a cost of only N$30 per hour. Customers can purchase the 4GLTE USB device and SIM card from any mobile home countrywide at the price of N$298. There is no limitation on volume usage (MB), as long as the customer has airtime to be charged per hour at time intervals. MTC Chief Human Capital and Corporate Affairs Officer, Tim Ekandjo, explained: “As a 4G prepaid product, since the speed is dramatically fast, the correct way to offer it to the market is through charging per time rather than per volume usage, otherwise the customer would need to be constantly recharging.” Ekandjo added that with 4GLTE speeds of up to 100Mbps, a customer will be able to download more than 6 Gigabytes per hour, using an expected average speed, which represents more than 4 downloads series or HD movies. Ekandjo said this pre-paid offer is targeted towards heavy Internet users that for any reason cannot sign up for a contract, while Netman 3G prepaid is best suited for a regular user. “This pre-paid offer complements the current Netman 4G postpaid packages, since prepaid requires a recharge when the airtime is depleted, while postpaid gives to the customer the convenience of not having to stop while surfing the Internet.” Ekandjo also noted that the current Netman 3G packages had their speed increased recently. Prepaid speeds were increased to 7.2Mbps and postpaid to 21Mbps, Ekandjo remarked. MTC 4GLTE has the widest country coverage available throughout the country and is available in Windhoek, Walvis Bay, Swakopmund, Otjiwarongo, Keetmanshoop, Outapi, Ongwediva, Oshakati and Tsumeb. 4G LTE or ‘fourth-generation long-term evolution’ technology is set to become the global standard in the delivery of mobile data and voice services for at least the next decade, and possibly beyond. The benefits of 4G LTE lies in the radically improved user experience, which enables ultra-high-speed Internet access, stimulating digital innovation and accelerating broadband penetration. “MTC’s decision to invest in 4G LTE technology, has allowed us to deliver services with unparalleled speed, reliability, quality and ease-of-use, while maintaining competitive pricing,” added Ekandjo. According to Ekandjo: “Based on feedback and usage data from our customers, there is clearly an increase in demand for broadband access and services. In the past twelve months, we’ve seen significant growth in our customer numbers and data usage and therefore MTC is poised to capitalize on this demand and to raise customer expectations by delivering a better, faster, easier and more reliable Internet experience and with the launch of the Netman 4G Time prepaid, we remain focused on our promise of providing affordable, quality telecommunication services to all our customers, wherever they are, through continuous innovative thinking and excellent service to fullfil and stimulate communication needs.” By Staff Reporter 2013-12-13Staff Report 2
