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Services and devices

Vodacom offers voice, messaging, data, and carrier and enterprise services through multiple solutions and supporting technologies to deliver on its total communications strategy. The advancements in 3G networks and download speeds, handset capabilities and the mobilisation of internet services have contributed to an acceleration of data services usage growth.
Devices
Vodacom offers a wide-range of devices such as handsets, mobile data cards and laptops/netbooks.
      Handsets
            A wide-ranging handset portfolio covers different customer segments, price points and an increasing variety of designs. 
    66 new models released in the year.
    76 000 active iPhone users.
    280 000 active BlackBerry® users.
    3G handsets accounting for 18% of total handset sales. 
    Expanded business portfolio with BlackBerry® CurveTM 8520, the Samsung Star S523 and the LG KS360. 
    Mobile broadband
  Provides simple and secure access to the internet, email, corporate applications and company intranets. 
  Vodacom offers the Vodafone Mobile Broadband modem with speeds up to 14.4 Mbps downlink and up to 2.0 Mbps uplink by utilising HSPA technology. 
  New 21.6 Mbps modems now available.
  A wide variety of laptop models are available with built-in 3G modems. 
  All Vodafone mobile broadband USB modems and USB sticks are exclusive designs and benefit from 'plug and play' software. 
  Netbooks are available with built-in 3G broadband, which are much smaller and lighter than a regular laptop. 
    Routers
  Allows customers to access Vodacom's network and converged services. 
  Routers sold for dedicated internet and MPLS VPN services. 
  ADSL modems sold for ADSL internet access. 
  PBX devices are sold bundled with cordless, analogue and/or IP phone. 
  MiFi router allows up to five WiFi devices to share an internet connection. 
         6.4m
  Handsets sold across the Group 
728 000
Active PC connectivity devices in South Africa
2.0m
Active smartphones on the network in South Africa 
     
        

Product focus: New Linkbook
  Low-cost compact netbook with an embedded modem available on a 24-month contract at R199 per month including 300MB per month.

Product focus: Broadband USB modem
26% growth in modems sold to 360 000.

Product focus: Vodafone ULCH
Three different Vodafone branded ultra low-cost handsets with the lowest price at US$14.
     

 

Voice
R40 080m
Voice revenue
(2009: R40 124m)
Voice services continue to make up the largest portion of Vodacom’s revenue and a wide-range of promotions have been undertaken over the past year to stimulate growth in voice usage
      Outgoing voice
           Fees charged to Vodacom mobile customer who initiates a call. 
    Many different tariffs and propositions available, targeted at different customer segments. 
    Dynamic pricing plans offering discounts to published call rates depending on location and time of day. 

Outgoing voice usage
(Billions of minutes)
    Incoming voice
  Generated when Vodacom customer receives a call from another user on another network. 
  Fees paid by operators based on termination rates primarily determined by local regulators. 
  Traffic impacted by lower on-net tariffing. 

Incoming voice usage
(Billions of minutes)
    Voice roaming
  Allows Vodacom customers to make calls on other operators' mobile networks while travelling abroad. 
  Vodafone Passport offers better value to travelling customers. 
  Vodafone World offers flat rate roaming prices according to three simple world zones, including discounts on partner networks. 
  SMS roamer allows SMS only and receiving SMS free. 
10.7m
Yebo4Less (dynamic pricing product) prepaid customers in South Africa
17.3%
Reduction in outgoing average price per minute across the Group
    Promotions
  Night shift promotion in South Africa offering free on-net calls after midnight if R12 recharge voucher purchased - generated 1.2 billion extra minutes.
  ChekaTime and Vodajamma 1 Tsh promotions in Tanzania more than doubled minutes of use.
  Vova Jusk'a Fatiguer new extra low-tariff offering launched in the DRC in late 2009. 

 

Messaging
R3 215m
Messaging revenue
(2009: R3 025m)
All of Vodacom's mobile operations offer messaging services, allowing customers to send and receive messages using mobile handsets.
      SMS and MMS
           Allow customers to send and receive text messages as well as multiple media, such as pictures, music, sound, video and text.
    Please call me service enables customer to send a free SMS to another customer to call back. The Please call me messages are funded by advertising messages on both the SMS and USSD bearers.
    Messaging growth of 12.3% in the year ended 31 March 2010, driven by customer growth and increased messaging adoption rates.
 

Messaging usage
(Billions of messages)

 

Data
R4 498m
Data revenue
(2009: R3 411m)
Vodacom offers a number of products and services to enhance customers' access to data services including access to the internet, email, music and games.
      Connectivity services
           Provides laptop and PC users simple and secure mobile access to the internet and business systems. 
    Vodafone Via the Phone makes access to the internet from a PC even simpler by using your phone. No modem required, simple software. 
    Vodacom data SIM allows contract customers to use multiple devices simultaneously on one contract. 
    Internet
  Offers easy to use and secure customer browsing. 
  Users can access the internet on their mobile via Vodafone live! or web browsers. 
  Mobile Internet adapts content of internet websites to suit capabilities of individual mobile phones, reducing mobile browsing costs. 
  Global games portfolio offers popular titles and the latest games. 
    Applications
  Vodacom email is free with 1 Gig storage and a free email notification service via SMS. 
  Premium email offered with 3 Gig storage. 
    Data roaming
  Allows Vodacom’s customers to use the Group’s services on a mobile network when travelling abroad. 

 
         31.9%
  Group data revenue growth
7.6m
Group active data users
1.1m
Vodacom email customers in South Africa
1.1m
Data connectivity customers in South Africa

 

 

Other services
R4 233m
Other service revenue
(2009: R2 011m)
Vodacom continued to expand the services it provides to assist customers in meeting their total communications needs and provide additional revenue streams to the Group, mainly in the areas of national roaming, connectivity for other carriers, mobile transfer services and converged services to enterprise customers.
      Converged services
           Access services: offers enterprises wireless, fixed line and mobile solutions including ADSL, fibre and leased lines.
    Network services: Vodacom Business Africa offers dedicated internet solutions, national and international VPN solutions and VOIP and PBX solutions.
    Hosted services: Vodacom is developing new ways of enabling business customers to mobilise and increase the efficiency of their workforce. Includes application, data storage, hosting and security solutions.
    Other services
  National roaming: allows customers of other mobile operators to roam on Vodacom's network using voice or data services.
  Advertising: generated by partnering with advertising specialists in individual markets. Includes capabilities such as WAP banners and advertising embedded in messages.
  Mobile money transfer service: Vodafone M-PESA, offered in Tanzania and Vodacom M-PESA to be launched in South Africa.
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