There’s no doubt that this is a world first! Afrikaans radio station Bok Radio and mobile specialist MVN-X will on Tuesday launch an Afrikaans-only mobile network.
The network, BokSel, is a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO, similar to Virgin Mobile or FNB Connect. But it will be available exclusively in Afrikaans.
BokSel’s first customers will be listeners of Bok Radio, which has a strong following in the Western Cape. However, the network is open to all Afrikaans speakers in the country seeking a mobile network alternative, its backers said.
BokSel offers fully customisable online packages on www.boksel.co.za, again all in Afrikaans.
“All around the world there is a consumer trend towards serving customers in their mother tongue,” said Steve Bailey, CEO of MVN-X, which provides infrastructure and technical support to BokSel.
“With Bok Radio having such a loyal and engaged audience, it presented an opportunity to tap into this trend by providing Afrikaans speakers with a mobile network that serves them in their home language and some great value-added services in Afrikaans,” Bailey said in a statement.
Like other South African MVNOs, BokSel’s network is built on top of Cell C’s infrastructure. However, MVN-X has provided the technical backbone and professional customer support service in Afrikaans.
BokSel customers can sign up to music streaming service Simfy and digital magazines platform MagZone. On Simfy, Bok Radio has created ready-made playlists compiled by their DJs. MagZone provides access to Afrikaans titles such as Sarie, Idees, Leef, Huisgenoot, Tuis, Kuier, Weg!, Wegry, Wegsleep, Landbou, Jagter, TV Plus, Kyknet, M-Net Magazine and Finweek.
As far as cellular packages are concerned, users are not locked into long-term contracts and can upgrade and downgrade between packages at any time.
There’s a R49/month value bundle that offers calls at 79c/minute and out-of-bundle data at 99c/MB.
A R99 plan offers 60c/minute calling and 99c/MB data, while R199 and R299 options provide 69c and 59c calling and 99c/MB data.
A top-end package, for R399/month, provides unlimited talk-time as well as out-of-bundle data at 99c/minute.
Several data bundles are also available (see the table above for details). — © 2016 NewsCentral Media