South Africa’s second operator MTN has announced an exclusive partnership with local music streaming service simfy Africa, allowing MTN customers to access music of their choice through their mobile devices.
By downloading the simfy Africa app or visiting the website, MTN customers can access the 23 million songs on the simfy Africa database via streaming or in offline mode through their laptops, tablets and smartphones.
The service launched today with customers invited to try the offering for free for the first two weeks, whereafter a charge of ZAR49 (US$4.60) per month will ensure unlimited access to the service.
“MTN is proud to be the first to bring an innovative streaming music service direct to our customer’s smart devices,” said Mike Fairon, general manager of products and solutions at MTN South Africa.
“simfy Africa offers superior technology and a strong focus on the best music content, making them a fantastic partner for MTN.
“Customers no longer need to use a separate ipod, MP3 or CD player. Living in the connected world means that there is no need to carry a dedicated music player if a smartphone or tablet can just as effectively fulfil that function.”
simfy Africa is an on-demand service, allowing users to select the music they would like to listen to from a database of individual tracks and albums as well as a number of pre-made playlists and access it immediately, while customers can also build playlists and share them with friends over social media channels.
All music offered through the service is fully licenced, with the music on offer spanning international and local artists as well as the full range of genres.
“We have a strongly African focus,” said Gillian Ezra, chief operating officer (COO) of simfy Africa.
“As a company which is locally based, we ensure that our product is targeted to the needs of the South African consumer, both in technology and music choices. This partnership with MTN will further extend this ethos, allowing us to offer added and exclusive benefits.”
To start using the service MTN customers should register on the MTN website and download the simfy Africa app, available for Android, Blackberry and iOS, or visit the website.
In May MTN announced that it would provide customers using MTN’s internet services with free unlimited streaming of the newly launched CliffCentral radio station via WeChat.
“[Both the partnerships provide] further testament to how MTN is identifying strategic partnerships with content providers that are able to enrich the lives of its customers,” Fairon said.
MTN’s announcement today comes a day after reports emerged rival operator Vodacom is in talks with international music streaming service Spotify to launch the service in South Africa.
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