Free Netflix streaming on Telkom FreeMe contracts

Telkom has unveiled LIT, its new media platform that gives Telkom FreeMe contract subscribers free music and video streaming.

“This is a journey that began with the launch of FreeMe last year,” said Attila Vitai, CEO of consumer and mobile at Telkom.

The launch of Telkom HOMEunlimited was another step in giving subscribers high-speed data connections with unlimited data, said Vitai.

“We have already focused on disrupting the data market. Now, we are upping our game to provide our customers with a compelling proposition for all the data we’ve given them.”

FreeMe streaming

The free streaming proposition works as follows:

• Subscribers on FreeMe 2GB and up will be able to stream music without it counting toward their cap.
• Subscribers on FreeMe 5GB and up will be able to stream video for free.

Music services that are zero-rated include:

• Google Play Music
• Apple Music
• iTunes
• Simfy Africa

Video streaming services zero-rated as part of the offering are:

• Netflix
• Showmax
• YouTube
• Google Play Movies
• iTunes
• DStv BoxOffice
• DStv Now

FreeMe contract customers must still purchase the relevant subscriptions to the media services.

Video streams will be available in 360p standard definition, and traffic will be optimised for that resolution, said Telkom.

Users will also be able to turn off the optimisation and watch videos in a resolution they choose, which will consume their normal data bundle.

Optimisations

Erna Korff, the head of Telkom’s consumer and mobile product house, said they can zero-rate data on the FreeMe packages thanks to optimisations on the network.

The lower-resolution streams use a third of the data of a typical video stream, while still being suitable quality for viewing on a phone screen.

“You can’t tell the difference on a small screen,” said Korff.

Vitai said the zero-rating of media streaming data on Telkom’s mobile network should accelerate the move away from people fixating on per-minute voice pricing.

“We staked our claim of being a leading mobile data operator when we launched. We believe this is a game changer,” he said.

Telkom LIT Music and Telkom LIT Video will be available from 1 September, and qualifying FreeMe contract subscribers will automatically access the service.

Vitai said they already have more content partners in the pipeline and have great ambitions for their media content offerings.

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