South Africa's biggest mobile operator Vodacom is looking at taking a new low-price phone that uses the cloud to offer smartphone-style features to other African markets, an executive said on Wednesday.
Mobile internet penetration in sub-Saharan Africa was just 27% at the end of 2023, with millions struggling to access services because smartphones are too expensive or network coverage unavailable, according to the GSMA industry body.
The South African unit of Vodacom, majority-owned by Britain's Vodafone recently launched a cloud-based smart feature phone, which is manufactured by South African mobile phone firm Mobicel. Vodacom is a reseller.
Vodacom introduced it as a way to reduce the cost of smartphone access and to accelerate migrating customers from legacy 2G and 3G networks to modern 4G networks as South Africa starts phasing out these older networks.
"We have sold roughly a bit less than 100,000 devices in South Africa," Davide Tacchino, managing executive for terminals at Vodacom South Africa, told Reuters at the Africa Tech conference, adding that the company was seeing interest from customers and distributors.
"At this stage, it's South Africa, but we are evaluating to expand in the other markets."
The phone, retailing at 199 rand ($11), leverages the power of cloud computing to deliver a range of features typically associated with entry smartphones at a more affordable cost.
It comes with popular applications such as YouTube, TikTok and Facebook, all accessed via the cloud, giving users a "smartphone lite" experience.
Mobile operators are racing to shift their customers to 4G and 5G networks as South Africa has proposed gradually phasing out and shutting down older networks by the end of 2027.
As well as introducing more affordable devices, operators are offering pre-paid device financing options, but they have also asked the government to cut taxes on smartphones.
South Africa's Communications Minister Solly Malatsi told Reuters on Tuesday that he had held encouraging preliminary talks with the Treasury about his proposals to cut those taxes.
Latest Stories
-
Football Impact Africa’s Ghetto Love Initiative inspires change in Teshie
9 mins -
Peter Toobu calls for tighter border security over uncovered weapons at Tema Port
11 mins -
Gov’t has failed its commitment to IPPs – Ablakwa
15 mins -
Sell Chrome to end search monopoly, Google told
27 mins -
KATH to install seven new dialysis machines by end of November
30 mins -
Walewale: Police confiscate 37 bags of cocoa beans suspected of being smuggled out of Ghana
41 mins -
‘Expired’ Rice Scandal: FDA confirms rice was safe for consumption after rigorous lab tests
47 mins -
Many women have experienced intimate partner violence – Angela Dwamena Aboagye
1 hour -
Power challenges persist due to government’s mismanagement of revenues – Okudzeto Ablakwa
2 hours -
Jordan Ayew injury not as bad as feared – Leicester City boss
2 hours -
Stonebwoy heads to North America for UP & RUNNIN6 tour
2 hours -
FDA explains extension of best-before date for ‘expired’ rice
2 hours -
Rebecca Akufo-Addo, Mahama storm Akuapem North as NPP NDC slugs it out
2 hours -
Fatawu’s injury a big blow for us – Leicester City manager
2 hours -
No MC has influenced pop culture in 2024 more than me – Portfolio
2 hours