Orange Kenya has launched a Facebook dial service, offering mobile access to Facebook to entry level customers not previously mobile data users.
The first in Kenyan market, the service dubbed ‘Facebook Bila Net’ targets Orange customers who previously relied entirely on internet cafes, borrowed data-enabled devices or personal computers to browse and update Facebook.
“These are customers who will eventually upgrade to smartphones but, for the moment, are using basic entry level handsets. Orange will continue introducing innovative and customer centric products and solutions, targeting the varied segments in the market,” chief corporate communications officer Maureen Sande said.
Orange customers can subscribe to ‘Facebook Bila Net’ by dialling *32# and choosing their preferred bundle: daily for KSh10, weekly KSh50 and monthly for KSh100.
The service has been used in other Orange markets in Africa, with Orange affiliate Mobinil in Egypt reporting more than 350,000 subscribers connected to the Facebook dial service in the first month of its launch.
“Internet penetration in general has risen by 4.3 percentage points in Kenya, in the last quarter reviewed by the CCK from 36.8 percent to 41.1 percent. This indicates that the demand and subsequent uptake of Internet on the go is rising. Therefore, we sought to provide more flexible options that will allow for an even wider range of users of mobile data, unhindered by their devices,” added Sande.
