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Kenya: Press Releases: Zain Waives Blackberry Subscription Fees for New Sets |
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Wednesday, 03 March 2010 |
Nairobi, 3 March 2010 --- Zain Kenya today announced a waiver of the monthly blackberry service fee, a move that is expected to increase penetration of the service in the market. Customers acquiring Blackberry handsets will now access the service at no cost for the first three months.
Announcing this, Zain Kenya Managing Director Rene Meza said the Blackberry phone was now becoming popular in the local market as a result of the increasing demand for data services. “Blackberry handsets provide the best way for integrating diverse communication tools and is a symbol of convergence in the telecommunications arena,” said Meza.
To increase uptake of the service, Mr. Meza said customers buying the Blackberry handsets from any Zain centres will also enjoy a discount of up to 25%. Customers purchasing the Blackberry Pearl 8100 and Blackberry Pearl Flip 8220 handsets will only enjoy a one month license fee waiver.
Since being introduced in the local market three years ago, the Blackberry service has been growing gradually especially among the corporate clients. Last year, there was an increased uptake when Zain Kenya introduced the individual blackberry service for the prepaid market.
The blackberry service enables customers to enjoy unlimited internet browsing, unlimited email and unlimited instant messaging for a monthly KES2,000 subscription fee. “Currently, the mobile phone is the preferred and most affordable mode of accessing the internet in Kenya. Blackberry ensures that the customer enjoys the best combined wireless email, data and phone experience,” he said.
Customers using Blackberry handsets on the Zain Kenya network enjoy free roaming data services while visiting Uganda and Tanzania under the One Network service.
Meza said Zain Kenya will intensify the network upgrading exercise following an unprecedented demand for data and value added services. The company has invested more than KES37bn in setting up the network since it launched operations in Kenya. Last year, Zain Kenya was voted the best performing mobile phone Company locally in a customer survey conducted by Finland based Telecommunications consultants Omnitele which focused on service quality. Zain Kenya is connected to the SEACOM fibre optic cable, a move that has further enhanced the company’s service quality.
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