Mascom Wireless, recently launched Mascom Mobile Internet using Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), which is a high-speed mobile data standard and an enhancement of the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network which Mascom introduced in 2005.
Addressing guests at the launch held in Gaborone and Francistown, Mascom Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jose Gomes, highlighted that the new competitive landscape motivates Mascom to continue to maintain mobile market leadership.
“This service also pursues new business opportunities that complement current services offers, and enable Mascom to be an essential part of people’s lifestyle and interests in business, at leisure and at home,” he said.
Gomes pointed out that this new service allows for the transfer of information through data, and is part of Mascom’s drive towards ensuring a complete service offer and an enhanced user experience. EDGE enabled Mascom Mobile Internet and other services that will follow, proof of Mascom’s ability and desire to take on the challenges and opportunities of the new liberalized licensing regime, he said.
With Mascom Mobile Internet, the mobile company hopes to access the internet through an Internet capable mobile phone or a computer which can either be a laptop or desktop. He stressed that for a computer access, a data-card or USB modem and a data enabled Mascom SIM Card, is all that is required.
According to Gomes, there are four bundled packages available, and they include Surf20, Surf 100, Surf 500 and Surf 1Gig. He said these allow one to sign up for a specified amount of data per month for a fixed fee. There is also a Pay as You Surf option, and launch promotional offers are available on the Surf 100 and Surf 1Gig bundled packages.
Describing the benefit of this new service, Dzene Makhwade-Seboni, Mascom Chief Marketing Officer, said that the fact that the service is mobile made it very convenient as it could be accessed from on anywhere where there is Mascom coverage. With Mascom Mobile Internet, the charge is not related to time on-line but to the quality of data transferred.
“Having access to mobile internet enables one to have access to office network hence do work without being confined to the office,” he said.
Currently, the Mascom Data network supports various corporate service providers using the same technology. Among these are point of sale terminals and ATMs for the banks, vehicle tracking system for satellite tracking companies.
“This is the first step in implementation of our wireless data roadmap in our logical evolution of our services with the continuous introduction of high speed throughputs on a harmonized and comprehensive offer adapted to the needs of all segment.”
