Telkom’s mobile arm 8ta has introduced cheaper Blackberry Internet Service (BIS) to its South African subscribers.
In the new plan, subscribers will be given access to Internet browsing, email, BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), social networking, BlackBerry App World and a Web-based e-mail account for R30 (US$3.75) per month.
This is R29 less than the usual BIS fee.
8ts explained that the main difference between the newly launched plan and regular BIS services is that customers may use one additional Web-based email account, as opposed to the normal 10.
BIS is a low-cost solution providing users with access to the Internet, personal e-mail accounts, including 8tamail, Yahoo Mail and Gmail, BBM and social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribers can also access mobile applications on Blackberry App World.
A recent study showed that Blackberry is still a favorite with the youth in South Africa. With the youth spending more and more time on social media, 8ta might be in a strategic move to capture this group with their low rates.
There are over 56 million BBM users globally, with 98 percent of South African Blackberry customers using the service. This makes the BBM penetration in the country among the highest in the world.
BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) attributes this popularity to the affordability of BIS in South Africa at R59 (US$7.4).
To access the service, South Africa Blackberry subscribers can dial *180*3*1# to activate the BIS social and e-mail subscription.
