Financial services group Capitec has launched Capitec Connect – a prepaid solution for voice, data and SMS. It joins rivals Standard Bank and FNB, which have mobile offerings of their own in the country in various formats.
Capitec Connect is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) service on the Cell C network.
An MVNO provides cellular services to its clients without owning the network infrastructure. SIM cards are available to clients at all Capitec branches, and clients can get up to five SIM cards linked to their profile, making it easier to give family members access to data and airtime.
“Just as Capitec became a challenger within banking, we are now questioning the norms for prepaid mobile data and airtime,” it said in a statement on Monday (September 26).
At R4.50 per 100 Megabytes or R45 per Gigabyte, Capitec Connect data is on average 50% below the normal market price, and the rates remain flat whether clients buy small or large quantities, the group claims.
“The data also never expires, provided the SIM is used at least once in 6 months, which means that Capitec clients never lose what they paid for,” it said.
Prepaid prices
- R4.50 per 100MB
- R45 per GB
- 90c per minute
- 25c per SMS
Gerrie Fourie, chief executive officer of Capitec, said: “South Africans have been complaining about the cost of data. It’s expensive and complicated. Bundle pricing, off-peak and peak rates, and the fact that your data has expired are all things that make no sense.
“We’re changing this by giving our clients access to a mobile solution that is simpler to understand, much more affordable and can be recharged easily on our digital channels.”
The prepaid solution, a partnership with Cell C, seeks to bring digital inclusivity. “Our vision is to bring connectivity to all. We want to help create the opportunity for everyone to be able to connect with access to affordable data and digital banking anywhere, anytime,” said Fourie.
“It is through partnerships such as the one between Capitec and Cell C that we can make a major difference in bridging the digital divide that still exists in our country, and we’re very pleased to be part of the solution that enables South Africans to access a digital lifestyle that can truly change their world,” said Cell C chief executive officer, Douglas Craigie Stevenson.
Once the SIM is activated, data, minutes, SMSes and airtime can be topped up on the Capitec banking app, using *120*3279# or internet banking.
Calls are charged at the flat rate of 90c per minute, while SMSes cost 25c.
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