MTN planning BlackBerry packages from R14.95, but capped

MTN is planning new Blackberry service plans, with prices ranging between R14.95 and R59.00 per month. All the plans have a monthly usage limit, ranging between 10MB per month and 100MB per month.

According to communication received by MyBroadband, the aim of these new service plans is to cater for the different usage segment needs as well as to cater for more affordable Blackberry Service Plans with tiered data allowances and pricing.

The planned MTN BlackBerry plans are:

• MTN BlackBerry Absolute Plan
• MTN BlackBerry Social and Email Plan
• MTN BlackBerry Social Plan
• MTN BlackBerry Messaging Plan

“Unlike the current BlackBerry service plans that offer unlimited on-device internet, the new plans will include tiered BlackBerry services with data allowances. The included services and value are tiered to cater for various consumer needs,” communication received by MyBroadband stated.

MTN BlackBerry Absolute Plan (equivalent to existing BIS) – R 59.00 per month

• Monthly cap: 100MB*
• BlackBerry Messenger (BBM)
• BlackBerry Email
• Instant Messaging
• Browser
• BlackBerry App World
• Social Networking
• 10 Web-based Email Accounts
• SMB Console
• BES Express enabled
• BlackBerry Protect
• Prepaid, TopUp & Postpaid

MTN BlackBerry Social and Email Plan – R 29.95 per month

• Monthly cap: 25MB*
• BlackBerry Messenger (BBM)
• BlackBerry Email
• Browser
• BlackBerry App World
• Social Networking
• 1 Web-based Email Account
• Prepaid, TopUp & Postpaid

MTN BlackBerry Social Plan – R 19.95 per month

• Monthly cap: 10MB*
• BlackBerry Messenger (BBM)
• BlackBerry Email
• Browser
• BlackBerry App World
• Social Networking
• Prepaid, TopUp & Postpaid

MTN BlackBerry Messaging Plan BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) – R 14.95 per month

• Monthly cap: 10MB*
• 3rd party email only
• Prepaid, TopUp & Postpaid

All above rates include VAT.

According to the communication, customers will be charged an out of bundle rate of R2.00 per MB once the monthly data allowance has been depleted.

This is what the communication said about current subscribers:

• MTN TopUp and Contract subscribers currently activated on a recurring BIS plan will remain on their recurring BIS plan until such time a subscriber decides to upgrade to a new price plan, cancels the BIS service, or changes to one of the new BlackBerry service plans.
• Existing contract customers who purchased a BlackBerry with the BIS plan included for 24 months cannot change to any of the new plans.
• PayAsYouGo subscribers currently activated on a recurring BIS plan will also remain on their recurring BIS service until such time that they decide to migrate to another service plan, cancel the BIS service, change to one of the new BlackBerry service plans, or the recurring provisioning request fails due to insufficient funds in the subscriber’s airtime wallet.

MTN’s communications department confirmed that they are planning new BlackBerry services, but said that information that the packages are available immediately is incorrect. They could not immediately comment further on the issue.

Update from MTN

“MTN would like to note that the information that you have communicated on your online publication is grossly inaccurate and improper. MTN is gravely disturbed at the fact that you have attributed a statement to it without its consent or approval. We therefore request that you retract the statements or the story. Furthermore, MTN will make the necessary announcement to media when new developments around the BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) occur,” said Serame Taukobong, Chief Marketing Officer at MTN SA.

Related articles

BlackBerry outage strikes again

Vodacom R5 for 60 minutes promotion

Cell C slashes contract prices

Cell C slashes prepaid voice and data prices

Vodacom cuts prepaid call rates