Vodacom and MTN customers can get heavily discounted mobile data or voice bundles based on the location they find themselves in.<\/p>\n
Vodacom recently rolled out its more affordable limited-time “Just 4 You Town” (J4Y Town) prepaid data and voice bundles on the Vodapay app.<\/p>\n
Initially launched in 2018, Vodacom said the service had grown considerably with many new enhancements to drive the adoption of next-generation services.<\/p>\n
“J4Y Town was developed as a mechanism to help address the cost to communicate by improving the affordability of voice and data products in low-income areas, enabling underserved communities to access digital services,” Vodacom said.<\/p>\n
The operator told MyBroadband that the customer’s location is the primary factor that determines the eligibility of offers.<\/p>\n
“In most cases, and especially in low-income areas, discounts are applied to improve the affordability of voice and data products, to make sure as many South Africans can benefit from the digital revolution,” Vodacom said.<\/p>\n
However, once the bundle is bought, the customer can continue to use it anywhere in the country.<\/p>\n
To use these bundles, Vodacom requires the user’s mobile usage information and current location to present relevant offers. By selecting one of the bundles on the mobile app, a user consents to these conditions.<\/p>\n
In the Vodapay app, customers will find their personalised bundles under a “Your Town” tab in the “Buy” section.<\/p>\n
One MyBroadband reader provided a screenshot of the bundles he was offered, which included:<\/p>\n
These prices are significantly lower than Vodacom’s regular daily and weekly bundles.<\/p>\n
The prices mobile operators charge for their services are often a function of the relationship between available capacity and user demand.<\/p>\n
If an operator charges too little for mobile data, usage could skyrocket and overwhelm available capacity.<\/p>\n
However, if it charges too much, the network could be needlessly underutilised and generate less revenue than it would otherwise be capable of.<\/p>\n
By personalising offers, mobile networks can bring in revenue that might otherwise have been left on the table.<\/p>\n
MTN has also been offering several location-specific packages and bundles for years.<\/p>\n
This started with the MTN Zone product, which was first launched to contract customers in 2008 and allowed them to consume airtime at significantly discounted rates.<\/p>\n
MTN Zone eventually expanded to prepaid customers and offered discounts based on which tower a subscriber was connected to.<\/p>\n