The advance of airtime advances

In just one month, Vodacom’s Airtime Advance has grown to over one million subscribers.
At just a month old, Vodacom’s Airtime Advance is heading a major success and has grown to over one million subscribers. The strong take up of the service, which shows no signs of slowing down, is underpinned by fascinating stories from subscribers. One person who had run out of airtime used the service to complete an online job application on the day applications were closing, and another used it to call a roadside assistance service during an emergency.

Launched at the end of May this year, Vodacom’s Airtime Advance was developed following research into how mobile communications products and services that could further assist consumers in  day to day lives. Portia Maurice, Vodacom’s Chief Officer of Corporate Affairs said, “We very much believe in developing practical products and services that solve everyday problems. The success story of Airtime Advance is amazing, it tells us that if you launch a product or service that addresses customer’s needs such as running out of airtime at a crucial moment– that you will add value to their experience. Vodacom’s evolution to red was all about giving customer a better network experience, better customer service and more value.  Airtime Advance fits in with this perfectly.”

Airtime Advance makes it possible for prepaid customers to access an additional R10 worth of airtime once their initial airtime balance has run out. This allows customers to remain in contact with family and friends when they have run out of airtime, and don’t have other airtime recharge options available .  Customers are then only required to pay for the airtime advance on their next recharge with a minimal R1 service fee.

In order for customers to qualify for Airtime Advance, they must have been active on the Vodacom Network for 12 months or more, they must have recharged with a minimum of R29 (VAT Inclusive) per month (this can be cumulative) in the previous  six months, and they must have completed the RICA process successfully.

To check whether they qualify for the service, customers can dial *111*082#. A service fee of R1 will be charged for every R10 airtime advance provided.

“What excites us the most about the success of Airtime Advance is to see that is being used by customers when they encounter emergencies. ‘Power to You’ isn’t just about technology and high speed connections, it’s also about making sure that we give customers simple and essential solutions to keep them connected,” Maurice concluded.

* Follow Gadget on Twitter on @gadgetza