BlackBerry still needed in SA: Mindset Network
While BlackBerry devices remain popular in South Africa, educational content producer Mindset Network has expressed concern at what appears to be the slow phasing out of BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS).
This is because BlackBerry devices running the latest version of the Canadian phone maker’s mobile operating system (OS), BlackBerry 10, can no longer use the flat-rated BIS data package that is available to BlackBerry 7 (and older) devices.
BIS is available on all South African mobile networks for around R60 per month and offers unlimited on-device browsing, social networking, and e-mail access. Media streaming services such as YouTube are excluded from BIS.
Some mobile networks have launched cheaper BIS packages with a reduced feature-set (or even data caps), but the “classic” R60 BIS packages remain in place.
However, Mindset Network said that with BlackBerry battling to survive in an evolving market overseas, and as BlackBerry 10 slowly phases out devices based on BlackBerry OS 7, it will become difficult for school students to afford the access.
This, in turn, will make it difficult for students to access online educational resources such as its own Mindset Learn website, Mindset Network said.
According to Mindset, the Mindset Learn website provides classroom and revision materials to help reinforce classroom teaching and give school students support while revising or preparing for exams.
The website complements the television programmes Mindset produces that cover the South African school curriculum. Mindset said that its TV content is broadcast on DStv, Freevision, Star TV (formerly TopTV), OpenView HD, Tuluntulu, the digital TV pilot signal, and Mobile TV’s pilot signal.
Mindset Learn Google analytics stats 2013
To illustrate its concern over the lack of affordable mobile Internet as an alternative for BIS, Mindset provided the 2013 Google Analytics statistics for its Mindset Learn website.
According to the stats, 23.73% (1,046,143) of Mindset Learn’s pageviews come from mobile devices, while 30.31% (125,251) of visitors accessed the site from a mobile device.
While the stats show that Opera Mini is by far the most popular mobile browser among visitors to Mindset Learn, BlackBerry is the second-most popular.
Combined, the BlackBerry and BlackBerry 8520 browsers make up around 30% of Mindset Learn’s pageviews, and 22% of its visitors.
“This raises a concern as to how these learners will be able to access valuable online resources in the future,” Mindset said in a statement.
Mindset said that while some network providers have considered zero rating sites like Wikipedia, it is a reference site which does not directly help learners with the CAPS curriculum.
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