Bharti Airtel has announced the introduction of the world’s first free intercontinental incoming roaming service, adding India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the company’s One Network services previously exclusively offered to subscribers in Africa.
“Airtel customers in Africa are already availing themselves of this facility across the company’s mobile network in 17 countries across the continent,” the company said.
It also stated the network’s subscribers in Africa will no longer be required to register for the One Network service or buy new SIM cards since they have now been automatically provisioned as part of Airtel’s borderless network across 20 countries in Africa and Asia.
Under the new initiative, Airtel’s 60 million customers in Africa will be able to roam at affordable tariffs in the three Asian countries.
The benefits include ease of access for tourists, corporate organisations, businessmen and students who desire to stay in touch without changing their GSM lines.
Andre Beyers,Chief Marketing Officer at Airtel Africa, said Airtel is aware mobile communication can connect distant communities and the company is doing all it can to reduce cost via the expansion of its One Network initiative.
“Airtel’s One Network now gives our customers the ability to drastically reduce roaming charges whilst travelling within and across the two continents. Our goal is to provide affordable and relevant mobile communication solutions across borders,” he said.
With the expansion of Airtel One Network Services to Asia, the number of countries involved has increased.
The countries now part of the initiative are Kenya, Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo, Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
