Who says MTN doesn't innovate?

We are all used to the constant criticism of MTN and I'm the first to admit that some of it is justified however it is also often the case that when MTN does launch a good service, there is little or no positive comment about it. MTN recently launched such a service whereby recharge cards can be bought in the UK and sent to family and/or friends in Nigeria and to the best of my knowledge, none of the other operators have launched a similar service.

Personally, I think it's an excellent idea and in my view MTN deserve to be applauded for launching this particular innovative service but don't just take my word for it, check out the following letter which appeared in This Day newspaper on Monday 31/10/2005.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=32072

Naturally, one very good innovative service doesn't in itself cancel or excuse the other problems we are all well aware of but surely in this particular case, we should give credit where credit is due?

That is a nice one. But typically of MTN, I hope the services will continue to be working because they are known for poor services. They have some good innovations, but they always ended up poorly in rendering such services.

This product is also known as the MTN Nigeria Top-up Card. From the press release:

---

MTN Nigeria and Global-Nomi (UK) have entered into a strategic partnership to make MTN Nigeria Recharge (Top-up) cards available in the United Kingdom.

This first of its kind service allows Nigerians living abroad to buy airtime for and send to their friends and family in Nigeria.

For as little as £2.50, your friends and relation can buy MTN Nigeria Top-Up Card from any airtime retailer or call 0800 032 5379 in the UK for details. They simply scratch and send your PIN numbers which you then load using *555*1*12 digits PIN # OK/YES
Its another exclusive value added service for Y'ello Subscribers.

---

See Also:
[list][li]MTN Nigeria Top-up Card FAQa[/li][li]UK to Nigeria Topup[/li][/list]

Interesting service, but this is a service that any UK-based retailer with a Nigerian partner can provide. This innovation, I am sure, came from the UK-based calling card company Globi-nomi, and not MTN!

Point taken.

However it's also probably safe to assume in that case that Globi-Nomi approached the other operators in Nigeria at the same time...

Good point, but their success with MTN might be due to existing relationships they had with MTN executives.

I don't think it is useful and necessary since MTN service is not receivable in UK. The people back home always want their burden to be carried by their friends and relations abroad. Very soon NEPA and NITEL top-up cards will be available at every UK doorstep.

Affordable, just because MTN does not have coverage in the UK does not mean it's not a useful service. I believe that some people who are perhaps less cynical than you seem to be are happy to occasionally carry the "burden" (as you call it) of friends and/or relatives back home.

Affordable
I completely agree with you jo. What a rubbish idea, so nigerians are so poverty stricken that they need people based abroad to pay their phone bills? Its ideas like this that turn nigeria into laughing stock in the comity of nations. se MTN no dey south africa, so why are they launching this stupid idea in nigeria? abi south africans are not in U.K.

A typical nigerian mentality will not see anything wrong in this, this idea is just a reflection of the poverty in nigeria. It is so annoying when people attribute this type of agbero commercialisation/idea as worthy of innovation. You people should be crying for nigeria insteading of jubilating.

Now every idiot in nigeria with a relative sweeping/washing gutter in london will expect him/her to pay his phone bills.

ondogi:
Its ideas like this that turn nigeria into laughing stock in the comity of nations.

If you took the trouble to do some basic research before making such a sweeping statement, you would know that this is not a service that is unique to Nigeria. 

ondogi:
What a rubbish idea, so nigerians are so poverty stricken that they need people based abroad to pay their phone bills?

I would be very glad if you could clearly explain to me how the ability to recharge a prepaid line remotely makes us Nigerians "poverty stricken" as you put it?  If that is true, then the same applies to citizens of many other countries including a number of so called "developed" ones where it is also possible to recharge prepaid lines remotely.

I think you need to be a little more constructive in your criticism.

MTN that is another western union money transfer jare i love the ideal MTN carry go

Fdeveloper:

If you took the trouble to do some basic research before making such a sweeping statement, you would know that this is not a service that is unique to Nigeria.
I would be very glad if you could clearly explain to me how the ability to recharge a prepaid line remotely makes us Nigerians "poverty stricken" as you put it? If that is true, then the same applies to citizens of many other countries including a number of so called "developed" ones where it is also possible to recharge prepaid lines remotely.

I think you need to be a little more constructive in your criticism.

Fdeveloper:
The availability of the service in other countries do not justify its introduction, in other words its still disgraceful.

Its obvious you are only looking at the technology aspect of the issue, ability to recharge remotely. This is not about the technology, how many nigerians use their MTN line in u.k? very few. So the ability to recharge remotely means someone in u.k have to recharge their phone for them. Which is the premise of my disagreement with the service, it does not make sense. Believe me even the brains behind the technology at MTN will confirm to you, its all about tapping into the pockets of nigerians based in u.k. They are the target of this service not people living in nigeria. Mtn has just found a clever way of making more money. its that simple, to further prove my point just look at oluwizard's comment.

No nigerian based in u.k will ever like this new service.

A lot of Nigerians abroad will be happy that they can buy phone cards for their friends in Nigeria.

ondogi:

...how many nigerians use their MTN line in u.k? very few.

The point of the service is not to enable subscribers to use their phones in the UK where of course there is no coverage so I don't quite see the point of your argument here. 

ondogi:

So the ability to recharge remotely means someone in u.k have to recharge their phone for them

Like any service that you pay for in this world,  the customer makes the ultimate choice as to whether or not to use it, in other words nobody has to recharge anybody's phone if they don't want to.

Anyway, it's clear you don't agree with the concept of the service and you're of course perfectly entitled to your opinion however I think you're misguided in the reasons for your dislike of the service.  If I were to take your line of argument, I assume it would also be correct to assert that the fact that I can recharge my friend's UK prepaid O2 line from outside the UK means that the provision of the service is aimed at tapping the pockets of UK citizens living outside of the UK right?

While the concept seem 'novel' at first glance I still cannot avoid seeing ondogi's point. MTN is not providing the service to relief Nigerians of any burden but rather as another easy source of income because any Nigerian abroad can just as easily send money to a relative at home to buy recharge card. So whats the point! Its better if MTN improve on the existing services rather than embarking on needless ones just to scrape more cash out of their customers.

The ultimate reason for MTN's existence like any other commercial organization in the world is to make money. They are not here to "relieve antibody's burden" as you put it so of course they will look for all ways possible to generate more revenue. Having said that I absolutely agree with you that MTN should work hard to improve the level of service they provide here in Nigeria however that certainly does not preclude them from seeking alternative ways to facilitate the use of their services either here or abroad. As I said before, if you don't like it, don't use it.

As is the case in all free market economies all over the world, the strongest catalyst for service improvement and price reduction is competion and I believe that here in Nigeria, competion from the other operators is slowly beginning to challenge MTN's dominance in the market.

Seun:

A lot of Nigerians abroad will be happy that they can buy phone cards for their friends in Nigeria.

SEUN in your dreams. you can take a quick poll of foreign based nigerians on nairaland to confirm.

Fdeveloper:

The point of the service is not to enable subscribers to use their phones in the UK where of course there is no coverage so I don't quite see the point of your argument here.

The point, which you so obviously fail to see, is that (well you are wrong there's coverage in U.K through roaming agreement) because few nigerians use their phones abroad therefore the service was never meant for them. It follows that since they hardly use their phones in u.k so why give them the facility to enable them recharge these phones. This just does not make sense until you realise this is purely a business decision, with the sole aim of increasing their revenue. So i do not see any reason why people should jubilate about the service, well except you are a shareholder in MTN.

Come to think of it, they should be congratulated for their business sense. Imagine MTN has created a new business model by simply extending their market share, nay create a new market. This new model enabled MTN to increase revenue by getting individuals that do not utilise their service to pay for the service.

Whao seriously they deserve an award, just think about it. I think the guys in their corporate strategy division are genius.

Well everyone seems to have made their point. However, you all seem to miss the big picture. Check this out! Whether we like it or not, Nigerians in the UK send money home to their relatives, and by Western Union's analysis about $4billion was sent by Nigerians across the Globe back to their relatives in Nigeria in 2004.

So by introducing a service like this MTN is just saving Nigerians the cost of sending the physical cash via western union. (example: for every £100 you send they charge you about £14, plus the pay out will be at the bank rate, not the black market which is what Nigerians prefer). So the idea is just about saving Nigerians money, and Nigerians are actually buying the cards.

ondogi, Just one point, roaming is only available for post paid subscribers who pay their bill on a monthly basis and therefore don't use recharge cards.

What is nicer, people, is www,prepaidnigeria.com !!!

Here's a quick comparison: With MTN's program, you
have to first do the following

*locate a corner shop on the streets of london that sells the card. If you
live outside London, or like me, in the US, or Germany or whatever, then no luck.
*scratch card in order to reveal the pin.Ouch..watch the pin
number rub-off !!
*Send pin as email or SMS text to recipient in Nigeria at additional cost.

With PrepaidNigeria.com, you sit in the comfort of your
home or office and use your visa/mastercard/paypal to
purchase the e-pin online. You choose to have the pin delivered
as a gift to your recipient's phone via SMS..... Your recipient's phone instantly
alerts and..... presto!!..here's the pin and your message!! ....ain't it cool....?

Folks, it's really a "no-brainer" which is the better service!!


www.prepaidnigeria.com - A better way to recharge!

Deji, yur the man. You have summed it up nicely indeed! lol

I wonder if I am the only one looking the other way, or am i just thick? Please can someone clarify to me what exactly is ''innovative'' about MTN selling their recharge cards where they think ppl have the liquidity and compassion to purchase?

Availability of MTN recharge card in UK or US is not a 'service' from MTN. There is nothing innovative about that.

They are simply vending their existing wares in the open market. It is a 'good idea' beneficial to no one but themselves and 'pls buy me credit' Nigerians period!

Haba!

is this service still working?

^^^ Yes

You can go to any paypoint shop ( basically most off licenses where they do top tup for gas,electricty etc)


Bros na 4000 naira own na him i want o

try bulk sms busines today ,

To buy recharge card online, visit www.vtpass.com . All Networks are available. MTN, Glo, airtel, Etisalat, starcomms, multilinks, visafone, zoom.....and pay online!
It is Safe, reliable and Convenient.

Fdeveloper: Who says MTN doesn't innovate?

We are all used to the constant criticism of MTN and I'm the first to admit that some of it is justified however it is also often the case that when MTN does launch a good service, there is little or no positive comment about it. MTN recently launched such a service whereby recharge cards can be bought in the UK and sent to family and/or friends in Nigeria and to the best of my knowledge, none of the other operators have launched a similar service.

Personally, I think it's an excellent idea and in my view MTN deserve to be applauded for launching this particular innovative service but don't just take my word for it, check out the following letter which appeared in This Day newspaper on Monday 31/10/2005.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=32072

Naturally, one very good innovative service doesn't in itself cancel or excuse the other problems we are all well aware of but surely in this particular case, we should give credit where credit is due?

it is not an innovation cos glo mobile started first.it was cos of the pressure from customers,that was why they did introduce it.

Fdeveloper: Who says MTN doesn't innovate?

We are all used to the constant criticism of MTN and I'm the first to admit that some of it is justified however it is also often the case that when MTN does launch a good service, there is little or no positive comment about it. MTN recently launched such a service whereby recharge cards can be bought in the UK and sent to family and/or friends in Nigeria and to the best of my knowledge, none of the other operators have launched a similar service.

Personally, I think it's an excellent idea and in my view MTN deserve to be applauded for launching this particular innovative service but don't just take my word for it, check out the following letter which appeared in This Day newspaper on Monday 31/10/2005.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=32072

Naturally, one very good innovative service doesn't in itself cancel or excuse the other problems we are all well aware of but surely in this particular case, we should give credit where credit is due?

Old news.

asudan:
it is not an innovation cos glo mobile started first.it was cos of the pressure from customers,that was why they did introduce it.

Check the date and year this topic was created.
Did glo start theirs before 2005?