Orange has brought back the reverse call service, NiSort, for its mobile subscribers, allowing receivers to be charged on request on incoming calls.
Subscribers will dial 128 followed by the recipient’s number or use USSD *128# followed by recurrent prompts.
“NiSort will come in very handy in an emergency when a customer has no airtime to place a direct call or for a minor who needs to contact their parent or guardian and yet has a limited airtime allowance,” said Maureen Sande, chief corporate communications officer.
She also added that callers can only use this service when their credit is zero.
This service is synonymous with the fixed line reverse call where the caller contacts the operator and requests for the receiver to pay the charges. Once the receiver accepts the call the line is connected.
With the Orange service the caller will not connect to an operator, but the receiver will have to accept the charges before the call is connected.
Subscribers will also be able to have a “whitelist”of a maximum of ten numbers. The numbers in the whitelist will automatically connect to the reverse call service.
Critics have talked down the new feature, claiming it is a glorified “please call me back” text service. It is easier to send a text message asking recipients to call you back.
Most say it can be used for emergency services when the caller does not have phone credits and is faced with an impending crisis.
The service adds to Orange telecoms emergency services such as Please Call Me, Credit Transfer and PEWA (emergency airtime).
It is yet to be seen how the more than three million prepaid customers will use the service.
