The niQqui mobile app is now available to South African smartphone users. It allows them to make cheaper cellular calls between the mobile operators and free calls to other niQqui users via VoIP.
The unprecedented growth in smart phone penetration and the recent launch of long term evolution (LTE) by Vodacom, with the other providers not far behind, means that the signs are certainly encouraging as far as mobile connectivity goes. However, regardless of these improvements, one fact remains constant: South Africans still continue to pay extraordinarily high fees for mobile-originated calls to both local and international destinations.
The good news is that now that South Africans have a powerful device with sufficiently good connectivity in the palm of their hands, high call fees need no longer be an issue.
‚”Thanks to niQqui, a smartphone app that enables users to access call rates that are significantly cheaper, high prices are finally a thing of the past. A niQqui user is able to make calls over 3G/HSPA+/Wi-Fi at reasonable rates. In fact, niQqui-to-niQqui calls are free, while calls to any of the four cellular providers can be made at 89c per minute. Fixed line rates are 36c per minute and over 190 international destinations can be reached at just 30c per minute,‚” says Reshaad Sha, Managing Director of Blackbridge, a licensed telecommunications provider.
‚”Moreover, niQqui utilises per second billing from the first second, meaning that you only pay for the time you talk. In addition, there is no special club that users have to belong to or any other overpriced service that first needs to be purchased in order to become a niQqui user. For a once-off fee of R99 and a monthly subscription of R9.99, users can gain access to a range of call benefits. Simply visit niqqui.com and register.‚”
With niQqui, he explains, there are no complicated peak and off-peak or weekend rates. The tariffs are simple to understand and the service is easy to use. Furthermore, subscribers gain access to a feature set that includes free voicemail, free instant messaging to other niQqui users, call holding/waiting, conference calling, global address book integration and call history logs.
‚”The niQqui app is available today in the Apple App Store, as well as the Google Play Store. The service has been in testing for the past eight months across the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, South Africa and a number of countries across Africa. Users can rest assured that it has performed superbly on 3G, HSPA+ and 4G, as well as on Private and Public Wi-Fi networks,‚” adds Sha.
As the flagship consumer service from Blackbridge, niQqui has high call costs firmly in its sights. Users can also expect the feature set to continue to evolve over the coming months, along with increased support for additional smart phone platforms.
‚”niQqui is the perfect smart application to keep you connected even internationally – without worrying about the high cost of calls. As long as you can connect to a data network, you can use niQqui to save costs. It is the perfect tool to match the always connected lifestyle,‚” he concludes.
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